HOBBS VII The Call Of The Collective
by Peter Gao
Summary: When Admiral Hawthorne is abducted by the Borg for unknown reasons, the crew of the Vanguard must risk a oneway trip across the galaxy to rescue her.


**HOBBS VII – The Call of the Collective**

**T**here is a planet, deep within the Delta Quadrant that exhibits a most curious race of people. For thousands of years they dwelt happily along with nature, noticing the various curiosities and studying them, and eventually putting them into writing. They valued this information above all else, almost above their own lives.

The day came though, when it dawned on these people that they have ran out of room for storing this valuable information, and sought to find new sources of which they can use to accumulate this knowledge. In doing so they broke a rule, written a long time ago in their history, of not to disturb nature, but to merely live beside it.

In a decade they built a massive machine, as high as a mountain, in the middle of their largest continent, adjacent to the longest river on their world. The machine needed water for its operation, and thus tapped the river vigorously. The people found it easy to then stock up on more knowledge, and the machine tapped more of the water of the mighty river.

In a short few years, the river began to narrow and shorten, until one day the people realized that the river delta no longer contained the river itself, and that all the water now feeds into the machine. Thus, instead of ridding the machine, they started to enlarge it, connecting it with smaller versions of it that were spread across the continent, reaching across from ocean to ocean, tapping the water to quench its thirst.

The people begin to grow greedy for knowledge, and using parts from the mighty machine they cobbled together primitive crafts and stretched out into space, and amongst the stars they gathered more knowledge to feed into the machine that now took up a massive part of the continent, crushing the trees and grasslands beneath its metallic feet. These people realized very soon that the distances between the stars were immense, and that they would not be able to reach them in their own lifetime.

In the next few decades, special devices were built, again from the parts of the machine, which would help lengthen the lives of this people by subduing their activities, locking them in a state of sleep onboard their ships. But it began to dawn on these people that the journey was also important, and that they would rather live short lives and watch the cosmos as it go past their window, than sleep in a tube and miss all that comes to pass.

So they started making more machines, more pieces of technology that could lengthen their lives without making it eventless, but it was difficult. Eventually, a group of scientists made a piece of technology that made this possible. However, it required a lot of energy, energy that could not be generated anywhere on their planet.

And so the people realized their own power, and proposed that the mental energy from their combined minds would make it possible to feed the machine. So then it occurred that the planet's population was joined in one to power their machines, which now covered the entire globe. The green color of the trees and grasses and leaves were now gone.

At this moment in time the greed of the people was great, but they were not all like this. A few realized their folly and begin to replant the trees and revive nature, but they were a minority. Slowly the rest of the population absorbed the green of nature into the machines, to seemingly appease those that thought otherwise, and eventually their society was whole again; one mind reaching out into the stars, in search of knowledge.

But they were not yet what they eventually became. There was still individualism among the people. They still talked to each other like they did eons ago. On the surface they did not act any different than they would without the mental link. It was merely a web of links, from one individual thought to another, and together their planet was filled with the combined power of billions, each with their own thoughts.

After a few hundred years however, the people began to grow complacent. They have charted a large part of their surrounding space, and the knowledge they have acquired was bloating the planet's resources. The people begin to stay on their world, to enjoy what the massive storage of knowledge has given them. They no longer flew between the stars.

Then a curious thing happened. The machine began to wane, its power subdued, its machinations rust. This came as a sign to the people that they have indeed become stagnant, and that more knowledge is needed to power the machine. It was no longer just energy the machine craved, but actual information.

But the people refused to give into the demands of the machine, and they stayed on their world, enjoying their relaxed life while trading stories with whomever they desire through their mental link. One day however, this style of life ended. In a short twenty-four hours half of the population of the planet died off, their mental link terminated.

There was great grief and anguish on the planet, which was shared among all, due to the link. They looked to the machine, and found that a part of it has failed, its power drained. This came as a wake up call to the people, and they realized that they have become dependant on the machine, and that acquiring further knowledge to satisfy its hunger is what's needed, no matter what.

So the people took a very dangerous and desperate path, and input one command into the machine that will govern all of the people: to search for knowledge without end. This would ensure the population of the planet's survival. No time did it occur to the people to abandon the machine.

And so the command was issued, and in an instant all people were aware of it, and realize what they must do. Their starships were dusted off and refitted to better conditions, and they took to the stars once more, seeking knowledge.

---

"Ship 2301 is reporting back, they say they just discovered…some kind of gelatinous species?"

A man in his mid two hundred and seventies walked up to the seemingly young women and gazed over her metal-plated shoulder at the screen. "Are they similar to species 1523?"

"Well, they all look alike," the young women replied.

"Now now," the man said. "Just because they look alike…and they do," the man chuckled "doesn't mean we cannot gather knowledge from them. Tell the crew to study them closely."

"Yes sir."

The man lightly touched the piece of metal above his left eye and felt a ginger pain shoot through his temple. This was the seventh piece of visible technology that has been installed on him, and he didn't like it much. Looking around the room he saw many with more attachments than him, but who were much younger.

"Kids these days…" he muttered quietly.

He strolled around the room, once in a while glancing out of the window at the massive building opposite his, and the deep chasm dividing them. He could just make out, in the back of his mind images of trees, of green grasses that belonged to another age, one which he had no participation in.

"Sir!" Cried the women from behind him as an alarm ranged through the air. "We got a problem in the main computer."

"I can see that," said the man, running back to the young lady. "What is it this time?"

"I'm not sure…some kind of code."

"It's the Prime Code," the man muttered to himself. "Terminated it! Now!"

"I can't sir…it's spreading across the board!"

"This isn't right…that's the sixth time this week!" The man yelled to the room. "And before that? Nothing, not even a peep."

"What do we do sir?"

The man opened his mouth but he could not speak. His vision started to blur as screams emanated from around him, each of his assistance acting just like him. Slowly the voices in his head started to merge into one, his concentration relaxing. With a clunk his metallic knee hit the floor, his breath quickened and slowly he looked up to the computer screen he had stared at moments before. The screen was one uniform color; the code seems to have spread across the board. The voices in his head is making him deaf with their incoherent babbling as he fell to the ground, his eyes seeing nothing but flashing images that he did not understand.

---

Admiral Hawthorn's eyes flashed open as she sat straight up in bed. Her mind was still filled with the swirling images she just witnessed in her dream. She has seen those images before, many times in fact. It was all coming back to her of her time in the Borg collective, those six agonizing months, filled with pain and suffering. She rubbed her head and felt the pain that was numbed by her startled visions.

Slowly she got to her feet and looked around. Her room is not so much different than last she saw it. There in the corner was an old piece of her regeneration chamber that she kept for posterity, but which had been disassembled two years ago when she was finally rid of her Borg parts, which she has always thought of as assets.

With difficulty she pulled on her shirt and her pants and headed out the door. The gray walls of the USS Vanguard-A were a welcome sight after the green chasms that were all over the place in her dream. Almost instinctively she slowed down and stopped outside the sickbay door, halted, and went inside.

"Admiral," said EWDEE feebly as she looked up from a few bio samples. "Aren't you supposed to be asleep?"

AdmH smiled crookedly. "You sound like you're supposed to be asleep."

"Yeah well, Kaitz wanted me to take a look at this…thing. I guess I'll have to make up some data…might as well, it's not like I'm paying attention right now or anything."

AdmH chuckled and sat on a biobed. Without words EWDEE put down her tools and came to the Admiral, medical tricorder in hand. "What's the problem?"

"Headaches."

"Hmm…" muttered EWDEE as she scanned the Admiral, "it seems your Borg implant wounds are acting up."

"But you removed them…"

"Yeah, but the area where they were is still tender, and I might have missed a nanobots or two."

AdmH gave her a look.

"You know as well as me that it's impossible to completely get rid of those buggers."

"I suppose…just give me something to treat the headache."

"There you go," said EWDEE as she pushed a hypospray into the Admiral's neck. "That should do for now, and you know what all the doctors say, call me if it keeps troubling you."

AdmH chuckled again. "I might need to do that tomorrow."

"It's just a small ceremony," said EWDEE, strolling reluctantly back to her bio sample. "I wouldn't call mcmac or PG party animals."

"Maybe…but this is a big thing…at least it should be."

"That's true, they should've gotten the promotion three years ago, right after the war."

"Instead of now," said AdmH, finishing her thought. "When all Starfleet wants are more officers to command their war ships."

EWDEE looked up silently from her bio sample and shared a meaningful look with AdmH. On this point they both could agree. For the last three years, ever since the end of the Kraal Wars, the Federation has been pumping out nothing but warships.

"Hopefully this will be just a fad," said EWDEE.

"Let's hope so." Said AdmH, and with a smirk and a nod, she left sickbay.

---

"Whacha-doin'?"

Kick looked up from her PADD and stared into GK smiling face. "Nothing much."

"You're reading something."

"Yeah," said Kick, putting down the PADD and coming within an inch of GK's still-smiling face. "So what?"

"Whacha-readin'?

Kick smirked and planted a small kiss on GK's lips. "Nothing that interests you."

"Alright…" said GK.

With a swift grab he pulled the PADD out of Kick's hands and ran towards the cockpit with it, Kick closely behind.

"Give it back!" She said with a hint of amusement.

"Just…let me read it…"

GK stared at the PADD and silently read the first few lines. He looked back up at Kick with a quizzical look on his face. "Prophets?"

"Bajoran prophets, you know, the wormhole aliens."

"Oh yeah…who cares?"

"I do! Now give it!"

"Why?"

Kick sighed and rolled her eyes. "Ever since we went through that Crolan business with the prophecies and the big stories…I just thought it was very interesting."

"So?"

"Well, you know, wormhole aliens, higher beings, where did they come from? All that kind of stuff, same thing."

GK reluctantly placed the PADD in Kick's hand, who then smiled at him and skipped back towards the bunks in the back. GK sighed merrily and propped his feet upon the console and stared out into space. The past three years have been the best in his life.

It is true that he is a loner. For almost his whole life, at least those times that he could remember, he was alone aboard this small vessel, cruising around space like a rebel, seeking out adventures whenever an opportunity presented itself. But now he realized that couple-hood really isn't that bad. And the occasional peck doesn't hurt either.

He looked back at Kick, now humming something as she read the PADD, and sighed again. This was not like me, he thought, I'm supposed to be tough, not…soft. But then a new thought struck him: she must be one hell of a woman to tame me…well, not tame…

The console in front of GK beeped, knocking him out of his thoughts. Kick ran forward, PADD still in hand. "Did you press something by mistake?"

"I don't think so," said GK, sitting up. "No, it's communications, someone's hailing us…uh nuts."

GK groaned as the unmistakable sign of a Starfleet communiqué showed up on his sensors. "Not them again…"

He pressed a few buttons and a monotone voice ran through the speakers. "Unknown vessel, this is Captain Morrison of the starship Carolina, stand down and prepare for inspection."

"Oh for goodness sakes!" Yelled GK. "You've checked us already!"

"Identify yourselves."

GK sighed. "This is GeorgeKirk of the Triton City, the Langini inspected us three days ago!"

"I'm sorry, we can't be sure of that, stand down and lower your shields."

GK turned and looked at Kick, who wore a similar annoyed expression. "What do you think? Should we run this time?"

"It'll be over with soon," said Kick grudgingly.

"Alright," said GK as he reactivated the comm. system. "Come on over. Dropping shields."

Within moments an Excelsior class starship loomed into view from above, its Aztec pattern and blue hues glimmering in the starlight. Upon this GK and Kick turned to the back of the small ship and, just as they expected, a familiar blue transporter beam sliced through the air in front of them.

"I'm Lieutenant Samuel Canes, tactical offi-"

"Save it," said GK, cutting off the solemn man. "Just get it done."

Canes nodded curtly and proceeded to scan the room with a small tricorder. GK looked back up at Kick and both sighed. This is ridiculous, thought GK, what's Starfleet coming to, looking through people's stuff whenever they please…

"You've got some nerve!" Cried Kick, obviously loosing her temper and cutting through GK's thoughts. "How dare you go around, checking people's private affairs?"

GK looked at Kick surprisingly. "Kick…"

"Miss, this is very important, we need to know if-"

"Yeah yeah, you need to know if people are transporting illegal stuff that could endanger the Federation," said Kick in monotone. "I get it, we get the same speech every damn time!"

"Well, I'm sorry!" Said Canes, his tone wavering. "But this is my job, and we have to do it, it's-"

"-Regulations." Finished Kick. "Told ya, we know."

Canes stared at Kick and exhaled quickly in disdain. "Please miss, let me get through this, and you can quickly be on your way."

GK held Kick back right before she was going to reply. "Look," he whispered. "We'll beat up the next guy who comes, deal?"

Kick stared uncertainly at GK. "Fine…"

For the next few minutes GK and Kick sat quietly, fuming at the prospects of future inspections that will inevitably come, once in a while staring at each other and exchanging looks of disgust as Canes looked over their bedding and closets. Their annoyed faces only changed when the console beeped once again.

"What's the problem?" Said Canes professionally.

"Don't know," said GK. "Maybe it's one of your ships trying to inspect us…"

Canes rolled his eyes.

"Wait a second…" Said Kick, "this looks like a-"

"Canes," came a monotone voice from the comm. system, interrupting her. "We got some strange readings on our sensors, we suggest you get back here at once."

"What is it captain?"

"I'll tell you," said Kick. "These are transwarp signatures."

"Transwarp!"

"Yep," said GK as a worried look came over his face. "We got Borg."

The Triton City shook slightly as the space in front of it started to shimmer. GK looked apprehensively at Kick and then at Canes, who looking around with a confused look on his face.

"Why don't you, you know, follow your captain's orders?" Said GK.

"Oh yes," said Canes. "Canes to Carolina, one to beam up!"

Canes disappeared in a shimmering blue stream just as the ship around them swayed violently. GK and Kick both looked back up at the space in front of them as an aperture opened up, easily dwarfing the Excelsior class vessel now bobbing dangerously in front of them.

"Oh crap…"

GK's mouth hung opened as a massive cubed shaped vessel came hurtling out of the blue-white aperture and emerged as a massive black wall in front of them. Within moments the small ship was filled with the familiar voice that struck fear into every Federation citizen.

"_We are the Borg. Lower your shields and power down your weapons. We will add your biological and technological distinctiveness to our own. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile."_

---

"Any idea what this is about?" Said mcmac.

"Nope." Said PG.

The two officers walked quickly alongside each other towards the messhall, talking as they go. They had no idea what's going on, and had gone through many scenarios of what is about to happen to them.

"I'm betting on demotion," said PG. "I knew I shouldn't have locked NAH in that weapon's locker."

"Why would I be demoted?" Mcmac asked.

PG stared sideways at him and paused. "Good point."

"Exactly."

"We're both getting new assignments."

"Why would both of us get the same treatment?"

"…Touché."

"What?"

"Huh?"

Mcmac scratched his forehead in exasperation. "It's difficult talking to you sometimes."

"Yeah, that's funny," said PG absentmindedly "come on."

The two men walked through the messhall doors and were met with a room full of smiles. The senior crew, Admiral Hawthorne included, were sitting around the usual tables littering the chamber. All of their attention was on them. The duo stared at each other, and then back at the crowd, who continued to stare on.

"Gentlemen," said AdmH as she finally broke the silence and got up. "Please, come forward."

The two men stared at each other again and paced forward slowly, as if at any moment the room was going to explode.

"What's this all about Admiral?" Asked PG cautiously.

AdmH gave him a small smirk and reached behind her and grabbed one of two boxes on the table and opened it in front of the duo. "I, Admiral Hawthorne, hereby promote you, Lieutenant Commander PG15, to full Commander."

PG froze at this pronouncement. "Uh…"

AdmH smiled exasperatingly and gently pinned the rank pip onto PG's gray shirt collar. "Congratulations."

PG stared on as the crowd raised their hands in applause. "Now wait a second," said the Admiral before the clapping began. "We're not done here yet."

She reached behind her once more and picked up the remaining box. PG took this chance to look sideways at mcmac, whose face quickly turned from the slightly jealous look before to the now excited look.

"Lieutenant Commander Mcmac," she said. "I, Admiral Hawthorne, hereby promote you to full Commander…Congratulations."

AdmH smiled at both of them, clasped them on the shoulder and stepped back, hands raised in applause. The rest of the room soon followed and before long the entire messhall was filled with noise.

PG and mcmac stared at each other and smiled. "I told you we were going to get promoted."

"No," said mcmac amidst the "woops" in the background. "You said we were going to be demoted."

"Same thing…"

"Not it's not!"

"Yeah, that's funny…" said PG as he hurried forward and grabbed a champagne glass filed with wine. Mcmac stared on for a few seconds in pure and utter exasperation before doing the same.

"They're enjoying themselves." Said Adam as he gazed on at the festivities as he stood alongside AdmH.

"They deserve it, they worked hard." She sighed. "It's too bad we can't give all of them a promotion."

"We could if there were more ranks."

AdmH stared at Adam and smiled. "Well, I don't know about that, I could always promote someone else besides PG, what with him locking NAH in the weapon's locker."

"Hehe…"

"Admiral Hawthorne," came a voice from the bridge. "We are receiving a distress call, it's Federation."

AdmH's smiled faded in an instant. "That's just typical."

"Alright!" She bellowed over the crowd. "All senior officers follow me to the bridge, everyone else return to your stations, we got a problem."

---

"…We require…half of the…can't take…"

"That's it," said TC, furrowing over the records, "we can't send anything there either, I checked."

"Where are they?"

"About five light years away."

"Sorry guys," said AdmH as she looked sideways at PG and mcmac.

"It's alright."

"No biggie."

"Alright then," said AdmH, striding up to behind the helm. "Mr. Ice, plot a course, engage at maximum warp."

"Aye aye."

---

GK and Kick watched as the Borg cube fired mercilessly on the Starfleet ship in front of them. The shields shimmered haphazardly as torpedoes struck it, causing pieces of the hull underneath to scorch and burn. GK shot a shocked look at Kick, and he knew that both of them were thinking the same thing.

"Why aren't they firing on us?" Kick whispered.

"Well…" said GK as kept staring at the massacre in front of them. "Usually the Borg only attacks when it's threatened."

"But that Starfleet ship didn't threaten them either."

"Then I have no idea…"

"They might be planning something…we should help the Starfleet ship!"

GK watched as the shields on the Carolina flickered and went out. Soon the Borg weapons left massive craters on the hull, but this soon stopped. Within moments the Borg ended their barrage and floated there, quite silent.

"I'm reading transporter signals," said GK.

"We have to help them."

GK stared intensely at the two vessels in front of them. "What can _we_ do?"

---

"They're beaming in across the ship!" Shouted the Ops officer of the Carolina, his face covered in soot and his right sleeve singed.

"Do we have engines?" Asked the Captain urgently.

"No," said the helm officer. "They took it out on that last barrage."

Without warning a transporter beam flickered into life in front of him, and with one swipe the drone pushed the helm officer aside onto the floor. The Captain stared in front of him in fear and confusion as the drone proceeded to assimilate the helm controls, but not his officers.

"Sir," said the Ops officer again, "we're getting the same thing from across the ship, the drones are merely assimilating the ship, not us."

The captain stepped back but kept an eye on the drone. "Any ideas why?"

"Well…during first contact with them this was their action…they didn't touch the crew of the Enterprise D unless provoked…I think."

"We need to get out of here," said the captain. "Open a channel to the crew."

"Done."

"This is the captain, abandon ship! I repeat, abandon ship!"

"No."

The Captain stared on, wide eyed, at the drone who just spoke to him in a strange, gruff voice, almost like a Klingon. He looked closer and saw that the drone was indeed an assimilated Klingon. He was both perplexed and afraid. What does this mean? He thought to himself.

"What?"

"You will not leave," said the drone. "You will stay."

A defiant air rose in the captain, and, looking at the drone as if taunting him, he walked towards the turbolift, motioning at his officers to follow him. In a split second, a bolt of energy came out of nowhere and hit the captain, who then flopped onto the ground, dead. The crew stared at the Borg drone, whose mechanical arm was smoking.

"Stay, or be destroyed."

"To hell with you!" Said the first officer angrily.

The senior crew all ran for the turbolift, pressing its console fervently. Moments later, when the door to the small cylindrical room opened, six dead bodies lay dead at its feet, their arms loosing the support of the turbolift doors and falling onto the floor of the lift itself.

The Borg drone looked on, its face forming into a maniacal smirk, and continued to assimilate the console in front of him.

---

"I'm reading more transporter signals," said Kick. "They're beaming back to the ship…there's more signals than before."

"Of course," said GK, almost casually. "They'll be leaving soon…it's now or never."

"You sure about this?"

"Not at all."

---

"Are you feeling alright?" Asked Adam.

AdmH opened her eyes briefly and looked towards Adam, who seemed to shimmer in the surprisingly cold air of the bridge. She sat upright on her Captain's chair and looked over the bright bridge and the streaking stars beyond it, this was not right, she thought.

"Uh…Admiral?" Asked Adam again.

"Oh…I'm fine, just…"

"What?"

"I'm not sure…" She paused. "Time?"

"Less than a minute."

"Drop us out of warp, full sensor scan, prepare for red alert."

"Yes Admiral."

The sound of the warp core dropped dramatically as the stars outside the window returned to their usual point-like appearance. Directly ahead she could just make out a small smattering of metallic junk, floating like garbage in a dark, empty sea.

"Looks like we're too late." Said Ice quietly.

"That doesn't look like a Federation ship." Said PG.

"What do you got mcmac?"

Mcmac punched away at his console, checking and rechecking his data to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He slowly paused and raised his head to meet the Admiral's gaze, his brow furrowed.

"That is the USS Carolina Admiral, or what's left of it."

"It looks like it's burnt."

"Those gray spots aren't burn marks…they're Borg technology."

A silence fell on the bridge and all eyes turned to Admiral Hawthorn, who stood straight and steady like a pole and looked intensely at mcmac, who seemingly cowered beneath her gaze. The Admiral soon collected herself and stared at the viewscreen, its contents drifting serenely. It all made sense now, she thought, the dreams, the tenderness of her Borg wounds, even her sudden feeling of coldness.

"Life signs?" She said weakly.

"None."

"Transwarp signals?"

"Scanning…" said mcmac. "Got it…"

Mcmac signed heavily. "The Transwarp trail leads the Borg ship on route to Earth, I say, it'll get there in a few hours."

AdmH had expected this. "Send word to Starfleet."

"Yes ma'am."

"Mr. Ice, set a course for Earth, the fastest we can possibly go."

"Aye aye."

---

"Sir."

"What is it Lieutenant?"

"We're getting a message from the USS Vanguard."

The head of communications at Starfleet HQ leaned forward and looked at the screen. "Let's hear it."

The lieutenant diligently punched away at the controls. "This is the starship Vanguard," came TC's voice. "We have detected a Borg Cube heading in your direction, best estimation says that it will arrive in Sector 001 in five hours."

"Can we get a confirmation?" Asked the senior officer urgently.

"Checking…yes, Vega colony is reporting transwarp signals…stand by…"

The young lieutenant's hands flew across his console. "We're reading a dozen ships on the trajectory, all of them are confirming the transwarp signal…I guess the Vanguard was the only one who actually called us."

"Give me the President, NOW!"

---

AdmH's face was frozen into a look of intense thought as the ship vibrated around her. The rest of the bridge crew shared similar looks of fear and dread about what they were about to face. They all knew that the Borg would return one day, same as everyone else in the Federation; it was just a matter of when.

Adam looked sideways at AdmH and watched her. He, as well as the rest of the crew, knew of her past, knew of her agony while in the collective. And now he's ran out of things to say to her, to try to comfort her. He knew that it wasn't going to do any good; this is something she has to deal with, alone.

"Faster…" she muttered.

"Admiral?"

"We need to go faster."

"We…we can't." Said Adam uncertainly as he felt the palpitations of the ship's hull. "We'll fly apart."

"We need to go faster," said AdmH more intensely.

Adam watched her for a moment and then hesitantly pressed a comm. button on the shoulder rest. "Jim…can you get any more out of the engines?"

"Are you kidding me!" Came Jim's exasperating voice. Various shouts could be heard in the background. "Sir, everything we got that's _not_ in the engines is used to hold this ship together."

"We have to go faster!" Shouted AdmH into the comm. panel.

"Sorry Admiral, I'm sure the Vanguard will be more helpful a little late, rather than a cloud of vapor floating across space."

AdmH sighed silently. "Just…get this ship as fast as you can."

"Don't worry Admiral," said Jim's unusually calm voice. "I'm sure the more militarized Starfleet can handle one simple cube."

Adam looked at AdmH. "He's got a point."

"Admiral," said TC as a beep came over his console. "We got a general message from Earth, it's broadcast on all frequencies."

"On screen," said AdmH as she got up, expecting this.

"This is a priority one message from Starfleet Command," said the rather pale face of the Federation president. "Under the orders of the Federation Council, all starships within the jurisdiction of Starfleet will abandon your current missions, and travel to Sector 001 at once at maximum warp. A Borg cube has begun an incursion into Federation space and is currently heading for Earth. We will need as many starships as we can to engage it. Therefore, as I said, all starships will now abandon your missions and head for Sector 001 at maximum warp. Message ends…now."

Silence permeated every corner of the bridge as the viewscreen returned to that of streaking stars. AdmH stood behind Ice, looking somber, and no one spoke. Finally she turned around and faced the crew, looking at each and every one of them with a comforting look upon her face, as if knowing that all of them now know the seriousness of the situation, and that her mission now is to comfort them before the battle that is to come. Slowly she walked over to her chair and pressed the comm. button.

"Jim," said AdmH softly. "Did you hear the message?"

There was silence on the other end.

"Jim?"

"…I think we can make her go a little bit faster Admiral."

A very slight smile came over AdmH's face. "Proceed."

"Aye."

---

Admiral Janeway watched aboard Voyager the empty space in front of her. The ship she was on is currently one of many orbiting Earth, and frequently more ships would drop out of warp to join the fleet. In all of these ships the mood was the same, with just enough fear to reach every one of their crew. They felt they had passed the test, they had proved themselves in the Kraal Wars, and now it seemed that the Borg was a final exam, to see whether they have the guts to prove themselves again.

"Time," said AdmJ quietly.

"Approximately one minute," said Lieutenant Kim.

"I hate this waiting."

"You and me both Tom."

"Well," said Chakotay as he strolled up to Janeway, "how are you holding up?"

"Better than I thought I would be," said the Admiral, her eyes never leaving the viewscreen. "It was just a matter of time Chakotay, we knew it couldn't last forever."

"Admiral!" Said Kim. "I'm reading a transwarp signature…it's here."

All of the crew of all of the ships surrounding the blue planet watched in unison as a turquoise vortex opened seemingly meters in front of them. Its horizon gleaming like a soft stream in the mountains. Slowly a black dot appeared in the middle amidst the white energetic walls of the transwarp conduit, and emerged into normal space.

The cube was immense, blocking out the myriad of stars behind it and came as a solitary figure upon the scene. Its walls seemed to bulge outwards in intimidation.

"Curious," said Tuvok, his brow furrowed as always. "Its weapons are not charged."

"That _is_ curious," said Janeway, "what does it look like inside?"

"Pretty normal," said Kim, "there does seem to be a shortage of drones, I'm only reading about three thousand…that's not much for a cube this size."

Janeway looked sideways at her trusted first officer and sighed; what the hell was going on here?

"Wait," said Kim, "I'm reading a power surge within the cube!"

"All weapons ready!" Cried the Admiral.

In an instant a massive green screen emerged out of the cube, passing through every starship, and even the Earth itself. The giant triangle of light soon swept through all that surrounded the blue planet, and disappeared back into the cube, which again maintained its stoic demeanor.

"That…was a scan." Said Kim.

"And now?"

"It's back to the way it was…nothing's happening."

The crew watched as, without warning, the Cube started to glow green and move away. Behind it another vortex opened, and in a moment that seemed to pass in an instant, the cube disappeared and the space in front of Earth returned to that of calm and peace.

Admiral Janeway looked again at Chakotay, and both wore an expression of confusion. Why has the Borg come all this way, just to turn back?

---

"Uh oh…"

Adam looked up at this and saw mcmac's frozen expression of fear. "What's going on?"

"I'm reading the Borg ship."

"We can't be that close to Earth…" Said PG.

"No…it's heading for us."

AdmH finally seemed to perk up at these words from the concentration she had just exhibited for hours. "How long before intercept?"

"About fifty seconds."

"Drop us out of warp, turn us around, maximum speed."

"Aye aye."

The Vanguard flashed out of warp and flew in a giant arc as if the very fabric of space was keeping it from veering off, and quickly jumped back into warp space; this all seemed to happen in half a second.

"Admiral…" said mcmac as he hammered away at his console, "you know as well as anyone that this won't do a thing; that cube is in transwarp."

"How long before intercept?"

"About forty seven seconds."

"Not much of an improvement, is it?" Muttered Ice.

"Red alert," said AdmH. "All power to aft weapons and shields."

"Aye."

"Do you think the transphasic torpedoes'll work?" Asked Adam.

"They adapted to the armor Voyager brought back…" Said AdmH worriedly. "But you never know."

The crew watched in shock as the subspace behind them started to shimmer, and in an instant a seemingly green cube emerged amidst the streaking stars and begin to increase in size as it approached, as if it was something inevitable.

"It's charging weapons!"

"Brace yourselves!"

The ship shook around the crew as three multicolored blobs struck the shielding, causing it to glow blue. The bridge crew looked around each other, all with a confused look on their faces.

"That wasn't too bad…" said NAH.

"Maybe it didn't feel bad," said PG as he checked his console. "But shields are down to 20"

"How is that possible!"

"Well," said Kaitz, "we know the Borg has shield dissipating weapons."

"They're firing again!"

"Drop us out of warp Mr. Ice!"

The shield draining weapons swept past the Vanguard as the ship returned to normal space. In the distance the Borg Cube did the same and again headed for the tiny vessel.

"PG!" Said AdmH as she stared at the black wall looming on the viewscreen. "Transphasic torpedoes! Full spread!"

In an instant five golden orbs of light came blasting out of the torpedo launchers above the brilliant blue of the deflector dish and headed for the massive cube. The crew watched, again in shock as the Borg vessel moved with surprising agility and dodged the first four torpedoes. But the fifth hit its mark. Grins came over the crew's faces as the edge of the cube was decimated; pieces of debris flew every which way, causing the cube itself to lurch sideways.

It all went downhill the next moment as more multicolored orbs came out of the Cube, showering the Vanguard with it. Almost immediately the blue skin surrounding the Vanguard vanished, the ship's bare hull now exposed to the armory of the Warship.

In a moment that felt like forever, the occupants of the bridge watched in horror as a green light enveloped Admiral Hawthorne. She turned her head and gave a fearful glance at Adam and soon disappeared.

"_Admiral!_"

Ahead of them the Borg Cube started to move off, but none of them saw this as they were all staring at the spot where Admiral Hawthorne had stood. Slowly Adam swiveled his head towards the viewscreen, and he saw, to his horror, the cube's green streak as it went into Transwarp.

Silence fell upon the Vanguard's bridge as the rest of the crew wondered about what was happening. The smoke and soot started to settle, systems started to come online once more, and soon the bridge was bathed in its natural light yet again. But still they stood there in silence, staring at the one spot behind Ice and beside Adam.

"C…Captain?" Said TC at last. "What…what now?"

Stoically Adam opened his mouth to speak. "Set a course for Earth…maximum warp."

---

The light dazzled Adam's eyes as he beamed onto the grounds at Starfleet Headquarters. He looked around gingerly, seeing the happy people, relieved of the apparent Borg threat vanquished. Here and there small plates were fastened onto the ground with names and dates written on them, commemorating those that gave their lives, three years ago, to take back the white building that now stood, with a new roof, in front of Adam as he made his way across the clearing.

Then he stopped and gazed down at a special plaque, its carvings somehow more special than the others. It was the plaque that honored Ann Hawthorne, and as with Keyser Soze not long ago, the mental image of this lost friend with Adam's superior seemed to blend together, so that he felt a strange mix of remembrance and anger. He walked on.

Through the building he strolled, looking around at the walls still being restored after the war. Stray paintings were refitted over the empty walls, floorboards were made anew, and young ensigns and cadets walked the halls, greeting each other on the great future that waits for them. Adam grinned very slightly as his thoughts were temporarily replaced by that of his youth, when he saw Starfleet as a place, as the saying goes, to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, and above all, new alien women.

He walked through the door to the room that he has been heading for and looked at the panel of decorated Admirals sitting across from him, all, except one, gazing at him with an understanding look on their faces.

"Captain Adam," said Admiral Janeway gently. "We grieve for your loss."

Adam understood of course that, even if AdmJ was AdmH's friend, this was still a professional setting. "Thank you Admiral."

"This is Admiral Davies and Admiral Jenkins," said AdmJ, pointing to her left. "And this gentlemen here is Admiral Black."

Admiral Janeway looked straightaway at Adam to catch his face expression, which changed rapidly, just as the Admiral herself has predicted. Admiral Black turned to look at Adam as well, and at his alarmed features, he pulled himself up and assumed a more intimidating form.

Adam sighed slowly. "Thank you for meeting me."

"Of course," said AdmJ. "Now Captain, you wanted to attempt a rescue of Admiral Hawthorne?"

"Yes Admiral."

AdmJ furrowed her brow. "How are you going to go about doing that?"

"I believe," said Adam professionally, "that if we install another quantum slipstream drive onto the Vanguard, we would reach Borg space in a matter of weeks."

"You're in luck," said Admiral Davies. "There is a new prototype currently being developed, it should double the speed of the one you used three years ago."

"Wonderful…when can we begin?"

Admiral Black chortled. "You honestly believe you can rescue Admiral Hawthorne?"

"I know it sounds crazy, but yes, I think, with the right amount of luck-"

"Luck won't help you here Captain," said Black, sitting up in his chair. "You're going to enter Borg territory, pick out one drone among them, if you can, and beam her aboard, which, again, is quite difficult already, and try to escape. This is an impossible task. Luck or no luck."

Adam knew this was going to happen the minute he heard his name. "Not impossible. Improbable, maybe, but not impossible."

He looked around at the Admirals, who all awaited his further comments. "Now, we know from Admiral Janeway herself that the Borg has been crippled due to her actions in bringing Voyager home, and the fact that they haven't yet retaliated means that we might have succeeded in doing so, permanently…or at least for the time being."

"We cannot be sure of that."

"Well, there are many actions of which we are not sure of that we still try to do."

"Such as?" Asked Admiral Black.

Adam looked at him sternly and then switched to the rest of the panel. "Ok, nevermind that. Either way, whether crippled or not, we have the transphasic torpedoes, and you can review our own ship's logs which would tell you that they are still effective…albeit less so, but we took a pretty big chunk out of that cube."

"What about the armor technology?" Asked Admiral Jenkins.

"The Borg has already adapted to them." Said Admiral Janeway. "You do realize Captain that this might be a one way trip, if that slipstream drive is damaged or destroyed, you'll be…well, you'll be stuck in the Delta Quadrant."

"I understand Admiral."

"Does your crew?"

Adam stared at her for a moment, his mind doing somersaults. "I'll…I'll ask them all. If they decide to stay, that's their choice."

"Could you handle this mission if a majority of your crew leaves?"

"We shall see," said Adam. "If we have to, we'll rig it so we'll only need a skeleton crew. My engineer can handle it."

There was silence in the room as three of the Admirals conversed together, while Admiral Black looked sideways at a wall panel, seemingly expecting the others to ignore him. He then turned to Adam and grinned maliciously, as if he was enjoy this, which he was.

Adam couldn't take it any more. "Look! This woman has saved this world! Now, we know she was assimilated…"

The Admirals stared at him at this sudden outburst, but he wasn't thinking of that: a new thought has occurred to him, and it might be the decisive factor.

"Yes?"

"She…she was assimilated more than twenty-five years ago for six months."

"I remember that," said Admiral Black, "we rescued her."

"Yes…" said Adam uncertainly. "Well, I do not understand why they would travel all the way here to the Federation to get one drone. They didn't even _touch_ the Vanguard after abducting Admiral Hawthorne."

"So you think she is special to them?" Asked Admiral Davies.

"I think so. I'm not clear on the actual events, but she was not harmed when she was rescued, and was willfully disconnected from the hive by the collective itself, as if they did not wish to damage her."

"Is that what happened?" Asked Admiral Jenkins.

"Yeah, maybe." Said Black, apparently trying hard to remember the events.

"Either way, they have plenty of planets at their disposal in the Delta Quadrant, why come here? They didn't attack Earth, they barely attacked the Vanguard, all they wanted was AdmH."

"If they are crippled," said Admiral Davies. "This might be some kind of plan to rejuvenate them somehow."

"I agree," said Admiral Jenkins. "They might have planted something in AdmH during her last assimilation, and now they might have come back to reclaim…well, whatever they planted."

Admiral Janeway stared at the two elderly men and listened very closely. "Hmmm…"

"What do you say?" Asked Adam, almost pleadingly.

"We will review this," said Admiral Janeway after a few seconds. "You may wait outside. I have a feeling that this won't last long."

---

"What!"

"Look Keyser," said PG pleadingly with Kaitz by his side. "You gotta calm down."

"Yeah," said Kaitz with a slight amusement in her voice. "We'll tell you everything as soon as you stop yelling."

Keyser exhaled forcefully as he stared down the crew through the viewscreen. "What else is there! Borg cube comes, does nothing, flies away, and while we were all celebrating I hear Annie's been kidnapped!"

PG and Kaitz looked at each other. "Yeah that's pretty much it."

Keyser sighed and shook his head. "What's going on now? You better be doing something about it!"

"Yes yes. Adam's gone down to Starfleet HQ and he's telling the Admirals there everything."

"When is he going to be back!"

"Keyser," said Adam coolly as he walked through the turbolift at that very moment. "You look well."

"So what's their decision!" Said Keyser agitatedly.

Adam looked around his crew, seemingly enjoying prolonging the announcement. "They've agreed. The engineers at Utopia Planitia will help us install a new version of the slipstream drive, and we'll be in Borg space in a matter of weeks."

"I'm coming with you." Said Keyser flatly.

"No."

The bridge crew looked shockingly at Adam as Keyser's eyes widened. "Why the bloody hell not!"

"This is very dangerous Keyser-"

"Big deal! We've faced plenty of dangers before!"

"No!" Said Adam, looking annoyed. "Look Keyser, you and Jason have a good relationship, right? For once he is enjoying life, and now you want to come on what could possibly be a one way trip and in one fell swoop take away his mom _and_ dad!"

Keyser seemed disarmed by this speech and stared at Adam with ever decreasing intensity. "I…can bring him…oh hell no I can't."

"I'm sorry Keyser…just…wish us luck."

"The hell I will," said Keyser, more to himself. "I have a whole, what, two weeks to think up something? I'm going to be on your ship when you launch, whether you like it or not! I'm not going to let the Borg take Annie without a fight!"

With this the screen returned to that of low Earth orbit, Adam lost right at the beginning of another speech at this sudden cut off.

"You know," said Kaitz. "He rescued Admiral Hawthorne the first time, he can do it again."

Adam sighed and collapsed into the Captain's chair. "I know."

"We've been through worse together Captain, maybe we _should_ bring him along."

"It's not like that," said Adam, his hands covering his forehead. "That was all bollocks, under normal conditions, of course I would bring him, along with whomever wants to go with us."

"So…what happened then?"

"It is the decision of the panel of Admirals that Keyser stay behind."

Adam closed his eyes for a moment as gasps were heard across the bridge. He knew this was going to happen, and so did the Admirals. They had anticipated this, he thought. And he knew right away when they mentioned it, that Keyser won't be allowed to go, and he knew exactly which Admiral would deliver that news to him coated with joy and amusement. He had heard about Carter Black over three years ago, and now he's having his first taste of his grudge.

"The Admirals," said Adam as the gasps faded, "still think that he is dangerous."

"He saved the damn world!" Roared NAH from his console, "this is ridiculous!"

"I know!" Said Adam. "But that's their decision. We're already on the line folks, they barely ruled in our favor. If we do anything to disobey them, well, this mission's off."

The crew looked at each other in silent anger as Adam got up and resumed his composure. He turned around and faced Jim, who had wandered up to the bridge a few minutes earlier to find out what had happened.

"Jim," said Adam tiredly. "I need you to work with the engineers at Utopia Planitia. We're working against the clock here, time is of the utmost importance."

"You got it."

"Let's see if we can break a record on how fast we can install something this big."

"If?"

Adam smiled slightly at this. "PG, I need you to work with the engineers too. They're going to add on a few more torpedo tubes to better use the transphasic torpedoes, which appears to be our only weapon against the Borg."

"No problem sir."

"Are we going to be getting any reinforcements?" Asked Kaitz.

"No," said Adam as he heaved a heavy sigh, "we're the only ship that has a strong enough hull for the forces while in slipstream."

"Weird," said NAH. "Why are we so special?"

"You remember the refit three years ago?" Asked Adam. "Well, that first time when we installed the slipstream, we had to strengthen our hull more than any other ship."

"Even the Protector?"

"That's a slightly different problem. That ship is built with so many safety features and interconnections that it'll take months to install a new engine."

"So we're alone?" Asked TC.

"Pretty much."

There was silence on the bridge as the crew let this sink in. They will be one ship in the Delta Quadrant, faced against one of the most powerful enemies of the Federation.

"Well," Said NAH. "If Voyager made it, when can't we?"

Adam smiled uncertainly. "Exactly. Now, Mr. Ice," said Adam as he turned back to the front. "Set a course for Utopia Planitia, best speed."

"Aye captain."

---

Slowly but surely, AdmH's senses returned to her as she awoke from a dreamless sleep. For a moment she did not want to open her eyes, afraid of what she might see. Instead she relied on her other senses and felt around her. She was lying on a strangely smooth metal floor with sloping walls very close on either side of her. There was utter silence, except for her breathing, which seemed louder than usual. With trepidation she opened her eyes slowly and saw the roof of a Borg chamber strangely distorted above her, as if she was viewing them through a pair of old glasses that wasn't fit to her eyes. She reached out with her hands and instantly hit a solid surface in front of her, and with terror she looked about her slowly: she was sealed in some kind of container.

With a sudden rush of air and sound the clear shield above her slid apart and retreated into the metal tube, and her face was greeted with the hot humid air normal aboard a Borg ship. Slowly she propped herself up off of the floor of the small tube and sat up, gazing around. It was a small room, its walls filled with Borg machinery, criss crossing wires and plates fitted almost randomly against the walls that were bathed in green light. AdmH's memories started to return to her, and she saw once again her former life as a Borg drone, one of tens of thousands aboard the Borg ship.

After a moment she realized that she was just sitting there, her head turning this way and that to take in the scenery. Slowly she climbed out of the tube and her feet hit the metallic ground with a clink that seemed to echo across the small chamber she was now standing in. Upon closer inspection there doesn't seem to be any way out or in.

She walked to one of the walls and touched the various articles fixed to them and the hair on the back of her neck stood up as if in protest.

"Welcome."

AdmH turned around quickly to see a Borg drone standing in the room a few meters from her on the other side of the metal tube. She had no idea how it got in here, or why it said what it did.

"What?"

"Welcome aboard." Said the drone serenely.

"You're Borg?"

"Of course."

AdmH pulled herself together, confused. The Borg drone seemed to have picked this up. "I know this is different than what you have expected of us."

AdmH nodded feebly.

"As you should know, a great many things have happened since we last met."

The Admiral stayed silent, feeling very uncomfortable.

"My name is Maegon."

"That's not a Borg name."

"No, that is my original name."

This was a lot to digest for AdmH. Maegon was obviously very different from the average Borg drone. She shook her head slightly and turned to something that has been bugging her since she woke up. "What is this thing?"

"It is a stasis chamber," said Maegon as he pointed at the metal tube in front of him.

"How long was I in it?"

"Seven days."

"A week? Why?"

"It would be much easier if you were out of the way until we reached our destination."

"So why wake me up now?"

"It is our decision that we tell you before hand what you are about to face, in order for you to prepare."

"Prepare for what?"

"You shall see."

AdmH looked at Maegon closely; no matter how she tried, he still looked like a Borg drone, and not in a million years did she expect him to speak to her like he just did.

"What happened at Earth?"

"I do not understand."

"You attacked a vessel, went to Earth, and then came after us. What did that mean? Why did you do it?"

"We were looking for you."

AdmH exhaled slowly and furrowed her brow in confusion. "So why do it like that?"

"We did not know your location," said Maegon patiently. "Therefore we assimilated a Starfleet ship to find information regarding you. I must say, we were afraid that you might be dead."

AdmH couldn't help feeling slightly touched by this. "But then you assimilated the crew."

"Yes, we needed extra drones after the incident nine years ago." Said Maegon without a slightest hint of shame. "We learned that you have become a Starfleet Admiral. From drones who were once members of Starfleet, we were informed that Admirals tend to stay on Earth at your headquarters. So we proceeded for Sector 001."

"Once we got there, we scanned the Starfleet armada and the planet Earth itself, but we could not find you. And then we detected the Vanguard on long range sensors…and I believe you know what happened next."

A sudden thought arose in AdmH. "What did you do with the Vanguard?"

"I assure you that your crew and your ship were unharmed after we transported you aboard."

"How can I trust you?"

"You can review our logs if you wish. I'm sure you know how."

AdmH looked at Maegon and went for one of the Borg consoles beside her. As she reached up to put her hands on the concentric circles of the console, she realized something. She would no longer be able to operate it, not now.

"I…don't have any more Borg components within me." Said AdmH, almost embarrassingly.

"I see," said Maegon as he thought fast. "I will help you."

He strolled towards her, causing her to back away slightly. He didn't seem to care about this as he pressed his hands against the circles. Instantly a streaming video appeared beside it, showing the Vanguard as it firing torpedoes. Soon the video shimmered as the last torpedo made its mark.

AdmH watched in concentration, waiting for perhaps betrayal. However she knew in her heart that this drone, against all normality, was telling the truth. She watched as, for seemingly no reason, the Vanguard quickly rushed away, signaling the departure of the Cube.

"As you see," as Maegon removed his hand from the console. "Your ship is safe."

AdmH nodded.

"Good, if you do not have anymore questions, please follow me."

And with that Maegon walked towards a wall, which instantly shimmered and disappeared, showing a doorway. With distrust on her mind AdmH followed in the wake of the drone, and disappeared into the bowls of the Borg Cube.

---

Captain's Log, stardate 63201.54: It has been a hectic week since our return to Earth, but Jim and his engineers have done it within record time. I believe if all things go well, we will be ready to leave for Borg space by tomorrow morning. In the meantime, I have informed the crew on our exact mission, and besides a few who are understandably afraid and have declined the mission, the remaining crew is more than enough for the operation of this ship. Hopefully with everything going so well, it's a sign of things to come.

---

"I've told you for the last time Keyser!" Shouted PG in frustration. "You can't go!"

"But why the hell not!" Screamed Keyser from the viewscreen with equal loudness.

"Don't worry about our safety," said Jason, standing beside Keyser and Boltini. "We've faced a lot, we can handle it."

"I'm sorry, but we just can't risk it."

"You know," said Boltini, who looked sullen. "If this was a one way trip, I would very much like to see Kith again."

PG's face froze as he heard these words, as did many of the others who heard it. Against all of his principles PG closed his eyes and opened again. "I'm sorry."

Keyser sighed gravely and looked sternly at PG. "One way or another, we will be there. See you in the Delta Quadrant!"

With that the screen snapped off. PG sighed and turned to the rest of them, all with uneasy faces.

"Don't tell me I did the right thing," said PG bluntly before anyone could talk.

"You didn't," said Kaitz.

"But it's what we need to do to keep this mission afloat." Said mcmac calmly. "Besides, I have a feeling Keyser has a plan up his sleeve."

---

"Well," said Keyser as he turned off the comm. panel. "I got nothing."

"Neither do I," said Boltini somberly.

"Well…"

"Jason? You got something?"

"I checked at Starfleet Headquarters when you told me about this…and I think we _might _have something."

"Spill it!"

"Starfleet has been designing a slipstream prototype, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, they got a prototype installed on a shuttle that they're working on."

Keyser froze for a moment. "We're taking that shuttle."

"I knew you were going to say that." Said Jason with an ironic smile on his face. "Tell you what, I still have some connections at HQ, I might be able to…take a look at it."

"Good, you know anyone who can fly it?"

"I can," said Boltini, awaking from his deep thinking. "I flew one for Section 31, long story."

"Right, I remember that…but this is new-"

"I can handle it Keyser," said Boltini.

Keyser nodded. "Ok. Jason, we'll meet again in three days, do what you can."

"You got it."

---

"Ah, perfect." Said Jim as Adam walked through the door to Engineering. "Welcome."

"Anything wrong with the engines?"

"Nope, it's working perfectly."

"Then why did you call me down here?"

"I got to go through the whole tracking-the-Cube thing with you."

"I don't understand…what's the problem?"

"Well," Said Jim as he prepared himself for a long explanation. "As you know, a Borg Cube leaves a transwarp signal, unless they mask it. We can track that signal…for that matter, any ideas why they _didn't_ mask it?"

"Probably never realized we have slipstream. Go on."

"Right, well, that tracking works fine and dandy in normal space, but once we're in Slipstream, we'll loose that ability."

"So what do we do?"

"My men are installing, right now, the best sensors Starfleet ever devised. It has a range of fifty light years."

"Impressive."

"Yes. It doesn't have that much accuracy, but for what we're doing, it's perfect."

"So what's the problem?"

"Well, the events will go like this. We'll need to use it to scan the transwarp trail, jump to slipstream…and we'll have to come out fifty light years later to scan for another fifty light years."

"How long is that gonna take?" Asked Adam as concern appeared on his face.

"Oh, that's not the problem. I assure you the whole shebang will take about five seconds. No, the thing is, at our speeds, fifty light years means about fifteen minutes of travel."

"So we're stopping four times every hour?"

"Pretty much…only for five seconds."

"Can you increase the range of the sensors?"

"Not without further decreasing its accuracy."

Adam furrowed his brow in thought. "That'll have to do."

"I suggest you tell EWDEE to get ready for some space sickness patients. I mean, the inertial dampers are good, but they're not _that_ good."

"Ok, thanks."

Jim nodded in return as Adam turned to leave.

"Bridge to Adam."

"Adam here."

"We have a shuttlecraft approaching, it's asking permission to dock."

"Who's in the shuttle?"

"It's Admiral Janeway Captain."

Adam looked back at Jim, who merely shrugged. "Ok, permission granted, I'll be in the shuttlebay." And with a nod to Jim he left Engineering.

---

The door to the shuttlebay slid open as Adam walked into the spacious chamber, its surroundings filled with various engineers going over the last minute details. In front of him a shuttlecraft sat, its engine noises diminishing. Soon a door opened, and a seemingly irritated Admiral Janeway stepped out, her hands full with containers and bags.

"Welcome Admiral." Said Adam.

"It's good to be here." Smiled AdmJ. "I'm sure you want to know why I'm here."

"That's floating around my head yes."

AdmJ chuckled, but then grew very serious. "It is the decision of the council that…I lead this mission."

Adam's mind whirled with thoughts at this. In a split second he had made up his mind: he was at the mercy of the council, might as well do whatever they wanted, as long as it resulted with them going to rescue Admiral Hawthorne.

"Well, you're definitely qualified." Said Adam jokingly.

"I'm sorry Adam." Said AdmJ. "You're a good captain, you should be leading this mission."

"It's alright."

"No it isn't." Said Janeway sternly. "I'm not going to allow this."

"With all due respect Admiral, I don't think we have a choice, if this is the council's decision."

"Maybe, but I'm guessing they aren't keeping track of us in the Delta Quadrant." Said AdmJ sincerely. "Therefore, I'm only going to act as an observer on this mission, you'll still be in charge…whether you like it or not."

Adam smiled slight. "Thank…thank you Admiral."

AdmJ smiled back. "Well then, let get to the bridge."

"Uh…if you don't mind me asking," Said Adam uncertainly as the two set off for the command center. "Was there anyone in particular that suggested this course of action?"

Admiral Janeway looked back at Adam and halted, her eyes clearly showing that she was deep in thought on whether to divulge the needed information.

"You…you know Carter Black."

"I know him by association."

AdmJ nodded. "Yes, he is the one who convinced the rest of the council of this decision."

"I see."

"Adam, I don't know what happened between him and Admiral Hawthorne, and frankly at this point I don't want to know. I just hope…I just hope this is as far as he's willing to go."

"I hope so too."

---

"Admiral on deck!" Shouted NAH as AdmJ exited the turbolift.

"At ease before you strain something." Said AdmJ, waving a hand at NAH. "Now, Adam is still in command, I'm just here on the orders of the Federation Council. I'll try to stay out of the way."

"Don't worry about it Admiral," said Adam.

AdmJ smiled crookedly at Adam. "Well then, I guess I'll go and find a room. It was good meeting you all again."

And with that Admiral Janeway left the bridge, to the amusement of the bridge crew.

"Is Seven of Nine coming?" Asked NAH.

Adam looked awkwardly at him. "Uh…no, not that I'm aware of. In fact, I think she's on a science vessel in the Beta Quadrant."

"Oh, that's too bad."

Adam raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"What? Oh, well, she would definitely be an asset with her Borg knowledge. Plus, she's hot."

TC burst out in laughing. "What's the matter with you?"

"I'm just saying."

"You really are a piece of work," said Kaitz exasperating. "You know that?"

"I've been told, yes."

"How can you be so calm and relaxed before such an important mission? In fact, I want to know why you're always like this."

NAH smiled. "You want to know what makes me tick?"

"We've been trying to figure that one out for years."

"Well," said NAH as he gazed meaningful around the bridge. "It's optimism. Optimism that tells me we're going to succeed."

"Isn't that a bit…nonsense?" Asked PG.

"Not really," said NAH, continuing his meaningful glance. "Optimism told me that we were going to take down Keyser, that we were going to take down Boltini, that we would return home, that we would defeat Garibaldi, that we would take out the secondary Kraal fleet, that we would take back Earth. And now, optimism tells me that we're going to get Admiral Hawthorne back."

Smiles filled the faces of many around the bridge as they listened to NAH's lifting speech, whose smile never disappeared for a second.

"Well then," said Adam as he chuckled a little. "Let's hope you have plenty of optimism for all of us."

"I always do."

Adam nodded. "I think it's time to go."

He walked over to the captain's chair and sat down on it, for a second savoring the feeling of being in command. He then reached over and pushed the comm. button. "Jim, all set?"

"You can bet on it!"

"Good. Mr. Ice, take us out."

"Aye."

The Spacedock lights started to dim as the engines of the Vanguard came to life. Slowly and gracefully the massive vessel floated out of the cage of the dock, and with a smooth turn faced the Delta Quadrant.

"Mcmac, scan for the transwarp trail."

"Scanning…got it, the fifty light years ahead is clear."

"Good…Mr. Ice, full power to slipstream engines. Let's bring her back."

---

Nikolai Boltini sat silently on Keyser's couch, staring off into nothing. The past three years have been very difficult for him, seeing as the women he loves is always far from home. After he returned from Kraal Prime, there was a lot of things happening in his life, for one, he had to think about all that went on when he was under control of the machine, and that seemed to some how distant him from EWDEE. What's worse, the Vanguard was always on the move, and only returned once since the war ended. Boltini changed throughout this, as Keyser and Jason realized, from a laughing, joking man, to a silent, introvert. He breathed slightly, immersed in fear and doubt at the fate of EWDEE.

"Here you go," said Keyser as he entered the living room and gave Boltini his coffee. "How are you feeling?"

"Alright."

Keyser looked mournfully at Boltini and sat down in a comfy chair opposite him. "You're not alright."

"Yes…no I'm not."

"It's EWDEE, isn't it?"

"How d'you guess?"

Keyser smiled slightly. "The Vanguard has always come through."

"What if they don't this time?" Asked Boltini. "What if…they…she never comes back?"

"We'll be there to help them do just that," said Keyser defiantly. "Jason will be here soon, and we'll be on our way."

Boltini reached over and clasped Keyser on the shoulder. "Thanks, old friend."

"No problem."

"It's just…I miss her…so much."

"I know. I'm…I'm not saying we have the same relationship as you do with EWDEE, but I miss Ann…and knowing where she is…"

"We'll get her back," said Boltini, a smile returning to his face. "Like you said."

Keyser smiled back as the door chimed. He gave an excited look at Boltini and walked towards the door. Jason stood there as he yanked it open; he was smiling, and carrying a PADD, which he promptly handed to Keyser.

"Remember this?"

Keyser looked carefully at the PADD. "This…this is the floor plan I got from Terry…I thought I lost it?"

"You did, but I took the liberty of copying it right after the war."

"Good good." Said Keyser happily. "So, how is it?"

"Heavily guarded."

"That's never stopped us."

"Exactly." Said Jason confidently. "Look."

He pressed a few buttons on the PADD, causing it to zoom in. "This patch of offices here have been cleared and made into a shuttlebay, that's where it is."

"Is there a way out?"

"Yeah, they built a retractable roof above it."

"Ok, so where are the guards?"

"You see these four corridors?" Asked Jason as he pointed at the PADD. "There are two guards at every entrance. Along with guards above and below, just in case someone decides to sneak in from other floors."

"It's not going to be easy." Said Boltini as he strode over. "But it's not impossible."

"Nothing's impossible." Said Keyser. "Ok, we'll just have to take out the guards. Now, the only major problem I see is activating the shuttle…I'm guessing there is an encryption in the controls?"

"You guessed it."

"Can you crack it?"

"I can try."

"Ok, well then, that's that."

"What about the roof?"

"We'll blow it open, same with the door to the shuttlebay."

Boltini gave him an amused look. "How very Kirk of you."

"Hey, it's the easiest way, right?"

"So when do we do this?" Asked Jason.

"Tonight."

---

The halls were silent as Maegon and Admiral Hawthorne marched toward their destination. For sometime there wasn't a drone to be found, as if they were on a ghost ship. AdmH wrapped her arms around her shoulder and shivered slightly, even if the temperature was like a hot summer's day in Texas. As before, green light bathed over all the equipment, making it seem that they fluoresced, increasing the feeling of being on a ghost ship. AdmH stared ahead at Maegon, who walked very much like a Borg drone, even if he didn't act like it. Could I really trust him? Thought AdmH as the floor clanked beneath her as she walked. Slowly but surely, she became more and more uncomfortable, as if the walls were closing in. She needed a distraction.

"Uh…" muttered AdmH. "Maybe you can tell me why I'm here?"

"It is not the ways of my people to talk while walking, save greetings."

"Your…people?"

"The Borg designation is Species 845."

"What about the original name?"

Maegon paused. "I…do not remember."

AdmH looked down at the floor. "Listen, this is making me very uncomfortable…I think it would be very generous of you if we can talk."

"As a form of distraction?"

"Pretty much."

Maegon turned and faced her, and for a moment AdmH saw in him the drone that first assimilated her. "As you wish."

"Th...thanks."

"However, I believe the subject matter would just enhance that feeling of dread."

"Doesn't matter, it'll pass the time."

"So be it. First, I will need you to recall memories from when you were last assimilated."

"You weren't kidding."

"I don't kid…usually."

"Ok…" said AdmH, a frown ever on her face. "To tell you the truth I don't remember much, I pretty much had it…buried. I couldn't handle all of it."

"Understandable. Perhaps a little more concise: what do you remember of the Borg's origins?"

"Um…"

AdmH screwed up her eyes in concentration, as if trying to see a picture of the memories imprinted on her eyelids. "I…don't remember."

"Then I will help you. Eons ago, there lived a people on an ordinary planet, deep in the Delta Quadrant. They valued knowledge above all else, and would spend days upon days, out in the wilderness, gathering all that they can."

AdmH nodded uncertainly at this.

"Eventually however, their storage of knowledge became full, and yet their desire still burned within them. So they built a machine to store whatever knowledge they may find."

"I remember," said AdmH urgently. "That machine…it covered the entire globe."

"Ultimately, yes. With such a wealth of technology, they were able to have a comfortable life, with the machines and their offspring providing their every need."

"Offspring?"

"It is what they called the smaller machines they built to work in unison with the main terminal."

"…Right."

"The people grew complacent, and stopped exploring to acquire new knowledge. Do you remember what happened next?"

"The machine wiped out half of the population." Said AdmH in apparent awe.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It was the first sign that something has gone wrong. The machine depended on the mental power of the people for sustenance. But it also wanted something else."

"Knowledge."

"Correct. At that point, there was so much data, so much knowledge stored within the machine, that it grew…sentient."

"Yes…I remember now. It wanted more knowledge."

"To further its sentience, yes. And thus the people, fearing for their lives, created the One Command."

"I remember," said AdmH, now totally immersed in the conversation. "That wasn't good."

"Indeed it wasn't. The One Command spread like a virus through the mental link between individuals, creating a net, a web-"

"A collective."

Maegon turned and looked at AdmH almost vehemently, his breathing quick. "Forgive me." He muttered as he calmed down.

"Of course…sorry."

"It's alright."

AdmH nodded again, this time almost in pity. "So that's how the Borg started."

"But don't you find it strange, that the quest for knowledge resulted in so much destruction?"

"…I do now."

"The Borg had every chance to peacefully obtain knowledge to…feed the machine. But they did not do that. Instead they conquered systems, ruined planets and people alike."

"Why?"

"Can you not guess from what I have told you?"

"Uh…" murmured AdmH as they finally passed a drone walking in the opposite direction. "It needed…it needed energy."

"Precisely. The machine fed off the mental energy of people. Therefore, by incorporating more beings into the…collective…it was able to gain power…and knowledge at the same time. Eventually, with the help of the One Command, the machine was able to control, almost completely, every Borg drone."

AdmH sighed and stared again at the floor. This is much bigger than she ever imagined.

"With knowledge comes sentience, with sentience comes corruption. This was a saying on my world, and it is true here also."

"But…of all the drones…ex-drones who I've met…they never talked about this…"

"That is true, but more will be revealed once we get to our destination."

"Why do I need to know this?"

"It will become useful."

AdmH nodded fervently, hungry for the truth. It seems that she won't be assimilated, not yet anyway. But a sudden shock shifted her from her thoughts. She looked around: the ship was shaking gravely.

"What's going on?"

A concerned face appeared on Maegon as he paused at a console, hands pressed against the concentric circles that provided identification. "We are under attack."

AdmH approached the console, which now had a view of the transwarp conduit outside. There, in the middle of the screen, were clustered five ships, all looking like fighters, and all firing at the Cube. The ship shook again.

"Fire back!" Shouted AdmH.

"Our weapons systems have been disabled."

"How can they be so powerful! Who are they?"

"Species 12183, they were one of the last races encountered before we were almost wiped out. They were a simple race, but secretly they were building a weapon that could penetrate our shields."

The ship shook again, spark rained down on the duo.

"And it worked, perfectly."

Explosions can be heard ringing across the ship as more sparks showered down. The ship shook once more, causing AdmH to fall onto the cold hard ground.

"Be careful!" Shouted Maegon uncharacteristically. "We need you."

AdmH can only nod as he pulled her up just as another hit shook the ship. On the screen she could see the blue tunnel disappearing back into the blackness of space, along with the decrease of the ambient sound.

"They've destroyed out transwarp drive." Said Maegon. "We need to leave, now!"

"Why can't you adapt to the weapons!"

"We do not have nearly enough energy nor man power."

Maegon, almost like an android, started to punch in commands from the console. His face was stoic, as if he devoted everything to it.

"What are you doing?"

"Scanning…there is a Borg Cube nearby. I will signal them to aid us."

"How do you know those ships won't target the other cube?"

"I am setting up the auto destruct sequence, hopefully the explosion will disable them in time for our escape."

Another explosion rocked the ship. "Hurry!" Cried Maegon. "This place is not safe, we need to move to a more secure location!"

---

"Woah!" Cried GK as the cloaked Triton City flew over the cube and over a fireball. "That was close!"

"Great," said Kick, manning her console. "Now they'll know we're here by that Triton City-shaped hole in the exploding shrapnel!"

"I'll take that as a joke," said GK as the Triton City maneuvered away from the cube. "Ok, I'll listen to you, we'll get to a safe distance."

Behind them another fireball rose out of the cube, consuming one of the alien ships, but doing no harm to it. Balls of energy continued to rain down on the cube as the surface crackled and flew into space.

"Can we beam her out now!" Asked Kick urgently.

"No," said GK. "The shields are down, but the part of the cube she's in is still heavily protected."

"Wait a second," said Kick as she checked her readouts. "That last blast just took out their file encryption system!"

"We can download the data?"

"You bet!"

"Alright," said GK, his fingers going mad over his console. "Downloading now."

"That was quick."

"Yeah well, I've known this ship for a long time."

GK stared at the screen beside him and saw to his delight hundreds of scrolling numbers and data.

"Look at it!" Said GK. "There's a lot of stuff."

"Can the computer take it?"

"I hope so…"

---

Smoke bellowed from various conduits as Maegon and Admiral Hawthorne ran through the corridor. Every once in a while another explosion would rock the ship, making them loose their balance. Sparks rained down on them like raindrops, and sounds that reminded AdmH of twisting girders started to appear out of the bowels of the ship.

"Where are we going!" She cried.

"Here!"

Maegon stopped before a triangular door and mashed his hands against a panel on the side. Within moments the door opened, revealing a room that AdmH hoped never to see. Its walls had the same green glow as all other parts of the ship, and most of it was empty. In the middle were four white tubes stretching from floor to ceiling, its light flickering silently in the gloom of the cube.

"Welcome to the Queen's chamber." Announced Maegon as he ran to one of the consoles. "The other cube will reach us in one minute. Stand by Admiral"

AdmH managed a weak nod. Memories started to wash over her like a tidal wave. Images of brief tours of this place appeared in her mind, telling her that something is connecting her to this room. The ship rocked again around her and brought her back to reality.

"Are you sure this place is secure?"

"No, but it's more secure than everywhere else…Oh no."

"What?"

AdmH looked at the viewing window that now appeared on Maegon's console, showing one of the alien ships approaching, closer and closer.

"What's it do…No…"

In a moment too short to register, the alien ship filled the screen and a massive explosion echoed through the halls. Something jumped within AdmH almost like premonition. The next second the wall behind her blew outwards, and a sharp pain crashed into her back. The Queen's chamber suddenly darkened, and it seemed to her that she was suddenly tossed into a tiny box devoid of light.

"No!" Yelled Maegon. He waved his arms to clear the dust, and saw the mangled back of AdmH, lying in front of him, unconscious.

Emotions crept back into what once was a stoic figure as Maegon stared hopelessly around the Queen's chamber, not noticing the turquoise vortex showing up on the viewing window on the nearby console.

---

"We got company!" Yelled GK as his console beeped. "It's another cube!"

"Did you just see that?" Asked Kick, staring outside the window. "That ship just kamikazied into the cube!"

"I said, there's another cube coming!"

"I heard you the first time! Who cares? We're cloaked."

"Something's happening on the damaged cube…massive transporter signals."

"They must know their ship's going to blow."

"Then let's get the hell out of here!"

The invisible Triton City turned in a great arc and headed away from the cube. Moments later, a flash of light lit the back of the small ship as it reappeared. In the next moment a massive shockwave struck the tiny vessel, making the entire thing visible, and tossing and turning it in the surf. Further behind them the alien ships were simply snapped in two.

GK tried to hold on to his chair as his ship flipped around him, pieces of debris floating by his window. Slowly but surely however, everything started to calm down, and GK and Kick climbed back into their seats.

"Wow," said Kick. "Just…wow."

"Cloak's down, so are the sensors, but seeing that we're not currently being blown out of the sky I'm guessing those aliens ships either got wiped out or isn't interested in us."

"What about the cube and Admiral Hawthorne?"

GK looked out ahead of him at empty space. "We lost them, and looking at this damage report, we're not going anywhere."

---

Jason emerged onto the Starfleet grounds as he headed for Starfleet HQ, his thoughts swirling in his head, going over and over the plan, again and again. He started looking this way and that, thinking he might spot someone trying to rat him out, then quickly realized that that in itself is quite suspicious.

He perceived as he continued his brisk walk two guards standing by the front entrance, who greeted him warmly.

"Jason," said one of the guards "it's been, what, three days?"

"Two, I think" said the other guard "why all the business here?"

"Just visiting some old friends," blurted out Jason.

"Same thing this time I guess?"

"You guess right."

"Well, you know the drill."

Jason nodded as the guard pulled out a tricorder and scanned him up and down, glanced at the readings, and waved him through with an appreciative smile. Once inside, Jason restarted his glancing this way and that, and quickly landed himself in the transporter room of the building. He wouldn't have much time, he thought to himself as he slowly inhaled and exhaled. Somehow, this was more frightening than going up against the Kraal army three years ago.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, he laid his hands on the computer console, locked onto target, and beamed into the room Keyser Soze and Nikolai Boltini, both holding large phaser rifles. In an instant alarms blazed about, shouting about unauthorized transports.

"Come on," said Keyser, handing Jason another rifle. "We don't have much time."

The trio ran through the corridors, past security guards who were running in the opposite direction so fast that they thought they had just ran past their fellow security guards. For a few minutes they sprinted across the building, and finally reached what used to be the corridor leading to the command center.

"Jason?" Said one of the guards as he saw him. "What are you doing here?"

"Sorry guys," said Jason as he instantly shot both of them. More alarm blazed as a result.

The duo behind Jason ran forward and with coordination pointed their rifles at the door leading to the shuttlebay, which was instantly blown away.

"Was that set on high?"

"I guess so, haven't really noticed."

The trio sprinted inside and headed for the prototype shuttle, not once did they think about this being a tad too easy. In a split second pain filtered through all of them as they crashed into a shimmering blue force field.

"Hey!" Shouted Keyser, "this wasn't in the schematics!"

"They must have raised it when the alarms went off." Said Jason, rubbing his head. "What do we do?"

"Stand back," said Boltini as he quickly stripped his phaser rifle and pulled out its power cell.

"Hurry!" Cried Keyser, looking at his tricorder. "I'm reading guard coming!"

Boltini carefully placed the power cell on the floor right beside the force field and pressing a few buttons. "On my mark, shoot it."

"Alright," said Keyser as all three of them retreated as far away as possible.

At that precise moment a phaser bolt came through the blasted doorway as guards ran towards the room, their feet clicking incoherently on the floor.

"Any time now would be good," said Keyser.

"Not yet…"

"Keyser Soze," said the lead guard as he pointed his rifle at him. "So much for being a hero."

"NOW!"

A stream of energy came out of Jason's rifle and the next moment the entire room was bathed in light. Screams could be heard where the guards once stood. A few moments later, the trio opened their eyes to see most of the guards unconscious on the floor, while a few attempted to get up or retrieve their fallen rifle.

"Alright," said Boltini as he carefully reached towards the force field. "Let's hope it worked."

He smiled as his hand went through nothing but thin air. "Good, come on, let's go."

The trio ran towards the shuttle and opened it and climbed inside, making sure the door snapped shut tightly. In an instant phaser fire hit the shuttle as the guards outside started shooting blankly at them.

"Well?" Asked Keyser urgently.

"Hold on…this code is more complicated than I thought."

Phaser fire continued to rain down on the shuttle as burn marks were blasted in its brand-new and shiny hull.

"Got it!" Said Jason.

"Go!"

The shuttle powered up and quickly lifted off of the ground. Boltini looked at the guards in mild amusement as he tilted the shuttle so it faced the roof. Several security guards saw what they were doing and quickly dodged out of sight, knowing the day is lost, while the others merely stared on in awe. Suddenly, phaser fire erupted out of the shuttle and within minutes the roof cracked and splintered, fragments raining down on the guards that were left.

"Let's go!" Yelled Keyser.

With an onrush of air the shuttle shot straight up into the sky, past various local shuttles and trams, whose passengers did nothing but gawk and point.

"You know," said Jason as the sky started to grow darker. "It occurs to me that we never thought about doing this…peacefully."

Keyser shared a look with Boltini. "Old habits die hard."

Jason chuckled as the Shuttle cleared the clouds and streaked into slipstream.

---

"And then, was it Tom or Harry? Well one of them, fell right into the mud!" Chortled Admiral Janeway as she sipped her coffee.

Adam chuckled uneasily and sipped his own coffee. For the past week something had been wrong in his mind, as if he was transported to a parallel dimension. The nights were virtually sleepless as the ship's engines increase and then decrease in noise. And now he was with Admiral Janeway, in the same situation as if she were AdmH.

Janeway smiled crookedly at him and then looked out of the window. "It's beautiful," she said. "We really could've used one of these all those years ago…"

"But I thought…"

"It didn't work for long, and apparently we would've died if we continued," sighed Janeway. "You know, ever since we came back, I've wanted to settle down. Seven years in the unknown was enough for me."

Adam peered at AdmJ above his coffee cup, anticipation rising.

"But that's changed now…Chakotay's got Voyager covered, and I'm stuck behind a desk. I'll do anything to get back my command."

Again, Adam nodded uneasily. "I'm sure we can convinced Starfleet to do something about it."

"Thank you Adam," smiled AdmJ. "That's very nice of you."

Adam smirked just as the ship dropped back into normal space, the sound of the engine falling.

"Here we go again."

"Bridge to Adam," came mcmac's voice. "We need to see you here please."

"Understood." Said Adam as he got up and walked towards the door, Admiral Janeway in tow. "Report!"

"We got an anomaly of a sort," said mcmac, checking and re-checking his sensors. "The transwarp trails…split up."

"Split up!"

"Take a look."

Adam stepped beside mcmac and peered at his console; sure enough, the trail they have been following suddenly splits in two at some point ahead of them.

"That's odd."

"You don't think the cube split up, do you?" Asked NAH.

"You never know with the Borg," said Janeway.

"Hold on," said Kaitz, "let me analyze the trail a bit."

Kaitz tapped on her console and stared intensely at the data. "I knew it."

"What?"

"One of the side branches is actually a ship going towards the intersection, not away from it."

"So you're saying the Cube rendezvoused with another ship?"

"Another Borg ship yes."

"Where?"

"Twenty three light years ahead."

"And they keep going afterwards?"

"It appears so."

"Ok then," said Adam, reassuring himself. "Set a course for those coordinates, best speed."

"Aye."

---

"Anything now?" Cried GK's muzzled voice from inside one of the Triton City's Jeffries Tubes.

"No!"

Kick can hear GK's sighing echoing through the ship's comm. system. "Sorry…come on, let's just rest a little."

For the past week or so the Triton City drifted through space, its occupants growing more and more irritated everyday at the prospect of potentially spending their lifetimes in the Delta Quadrant. But there was something more.

GK slowly crawled out of the Jeffries Tube, covered from head to toe in dust and looked at Kick, who smiled defiantly back. This was worse than just being stuck here, he thought, this is me, endangering her, and that makes it a million times worse.

He brushed himself off and sat beside Kick, and looked at her silently.

"What?"

"Uh…nothing. So, did we get anything else online?"

Kick checked her console. "Nothing but the thrusters, but it's not like we can rely on them for long."

GK nodded silently and stared at the floor, his face wrinkled in contemplation and dust.

"Is there something wrong?"

"Wha? No, no."

"You sure?"

GK remained silent. He kept going it over and over in his mind. The person that is now sitting in front of him, this person that he loved more than anything, even the ship he had lived in for as long as he can remember, is in grave danger unless he fixes the slipstream engines.

"Let me give it another shot."

"No!" Yelled Kick as she dragged him back into his chair. "You rest a bit; you've been at it for nine hours now!"

"We have to get the engines running!"

"It's been a week! Another few minutes won't hurt!"

"Yes it will!" Screamed GK.

Kick let go of him and sat back onto her chair, apparently lost in shock. "Alright…go."

"I'm sorry."

"No, you're right I guess. The more time we stay here the more chance there is of being attacked by something."

GK sighed. "I'm so sorry about all of this."

"It's alright, it's frustrating at times…"

"Not that…"

"What then?"

"Me dragging you along with me…all of this adventure stuff…what the hell was I thinking, following a damn _Borg Cube_!"

"What are you saying?" Said Kick, her eyes wide open "you don't want me to come along?"

"Of course I do! Just…it's too dangerous. I'd rather know that you're safe and be somewhere else, than with me and be in grave danger."

Kick looked at him, and after a few moments, she smiled. "GK…remember where I come from. I was born on a Starship! Danger is…not new to me, let's just say."

She leaned over and kissed GK on the cheek. "I'd rather be with you, knowing that we're together, than be safe somewhere, worrying about you."

GK looked sincerely at Kick and ran his hand through her black hair, his mouth quivering as an uncharacteristic wave of emotion swept over him. "Thank you…"

"You were never the one for words."

They leaned in close to each other, all the time not breaking their eyes from each other. They didn't seem to care that they are so far from home.

"Hold that thought," said GK as an alarm went off on his console. "We got company."

The atmosphere changed dramatically in the cockpit, as everything turned professional. "We got a ship coming in fast…it's in slipstream!" Reported Kick.

"Slipstream?" Muttered GK. "Who do we know that have slipstream?"

"The Kraal."

"Arming weapons…if we have any that is."

A bright burst of blue light came forth upon them directly ahead, filling their field of vision. Within moments a dark shape emerged from within, graceful yet terrible, covered in strange bumps and protrusions.

"That looks like…"

"But it can't be…"

---

"We've dropped out of slipstream." Reported Ice.

"What do you got?"

"Scanning," said mcmac. "I got a ship on sensors, it's heavily damaged…but it's not Borg."

"What is it?"

"It's…the Triton City!"

"Figures…" muttered NAH. "They always seem to show up at the strangest times."

"We're being hailed."

"Onscreen."

GK's dusty face appeared on the screen. "Hey guys…what's with the weird bumps on the hull?"

"Extra torpedo tubes," muttered Adam in astonishment. "What the hell are you doing here!"

"It's a long story Adam…I'm assuming you're here to get Admiral Hawthorn?"

"You guess right," said PG.

"Well then, I got some information for you…in the meantime, you mind having your Engineers take a look at my ship here?"

---

The Triton City glided into the Vanguard's shuttlebay; its pristine nature massively contrasted the small vessel's grittiness. In the distance a door opened and out sprinted Jim and a troop of engineers, along with Adam and Admiral Janeway, all with faces filled with confusion.

GK shot an excited glance at Kick and got out of the Triton City as the chocking noises of the engine died down. "Nice to see you guys."

"What the hell…" Muttered Adam. "You need to tell me everything."

"Hello Adam," said Kick. "Good to see you too."

"Oh…right, yeah, good to see you guys…now tell me everything!"

"Of course, but first," said GK, back to his bright self. "Jim, take a look at the slipstream engines, please?"

"Well…" hesitated Jim, surveying the burn marks on the small shuttlecraft. "The Vanguard's slipstream engines need some work at this time…"

"Come onnnn…"

"Ok…but only when I'm done in the Engine room."

"Fine by me," said GK, turning to Adam. "Ok, what do you…hey, uh, what's she doing here?"

Admiral Janeway perked up and looked at GK with bemusement. "I'm an observer on this mission."

"Ah, yeah, of course, Delta Quadrant and all that. Ok Adam, come with me. We'll need some drinks before we'll talk."

Kick shot an excited look back as with a wave of his hand, GK, Adam, herself and Admiral Janeway filed out of the shuttlebay, leaving Jim and his sweat-stained troop of engineers behind.

---

"Ahhhh…" sighed GK as he sat back on the ready room couch and sipped some coffee. "Haven't had good drinks in a week. Thanks."

"No problem," said Adam hurriedly. "Now, tell me everything."

"You realize that that's the third time you've said that?" Said Kick.

"Shouldn't that tell you something?"

"Good point," said GK, sitting back up. "Ok, here's what happened. Me and Kick here were cruising around, when all of a sudden this Federation starship hailed us and wanted to inspect our ship."

Admiral Janeway looked sullen at the mention of this.

"So we stopped, I threatened them a little, and while in the middle of the inspection this Borg Cube showed up."

"The Cube didn't bother with us," Kick said, picking up the story. "So we just sat and waited. I mean, the Triton City's great, but it can't take out a Borg Cube."

"We eventually realized something was wrong," said GK "since there was really no point in assimilating one ship and then leaving. I mean, if it wanted to get more drones, it would take out a colony. God knows it had enough fire power."

"So we decided that something was up," said Kick. "We rigged our engines to join the Cube's transwarp stream as soon as it activated its own engines."

"We followed it like that, cloaked, for a week."

"Hold on," said Adam. "Does that mean that you-"

"Saw how it kicked the Vanguard's butt? You betcha. Our sensors also detected a single transporter signal. Of course, by that time we knew something was defiantly up. Why rush to Earth, only to turn around and kidnap one person?"

"Especially one who was a drone sometime before."

"So we continued to follow it."

"Did you try to beam AdmH off of the Cube?" Asked Adam.

"We tried," said Kick. "Never worked though, she's always protected. She's definitely important to them."

"Were you able to get any information from the Cube?" Asked Admiral Janeway interestingly.

"Not in the first week," said GK. "The cube's database had an encryption in it. But we thought that if we kept trying it won't be long before we cracked the code."

"Turned out we were wrong." Said Kick. "But luck turned in our favor, eventually."

"About a week ago, this fleet of alien ships attacked the cube, made some damaged. Even caused it to drop out of transwarp."

"They duked it out for a while, and eventually the cube self destructed."

"It blew up!" Yelled Adam. "What about the people inside?"

"Before it did that another cube came by and transported everyone aboard off of it. If you're wondering about Admiral Hawthorne, I think it's a safe bet she's still alive, in what state though, that's another matter."

"Anyway, during the attack one of the alien ships took out the encryption system around the database, and we ended up downloading almost all of it."

Adam's eyes opened wide. "Do you know where they're taking her?"

GK smirked devilishly as he lipped his lips. "Yes."

"Where?"

"I got the coordinates, it's in my ship's database."

Adam shot up at once. "Jim," he said as he pressed his comm. badge. "Where are you?"

"Is GK there?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm in the shuttlebay."

"What a guy!" Said GK sarcastically.

"Look Jim, GK says that he has the coordinates of where the Borg is taking Admiral Hawthorne. It's in the Triton City's database. I want you to get down there and download it at once!"

"Great!" Came Jim's genuinely enthusiastic voice from the other end. "For that, I'll even fix his ship!"

"I stand corrected." Said GK.

"Get on it then," said Adam. "Adam out."

"So what happened to your ship?" Asked Admiral Janeway as Adam sat down and sipped some coffee.

"Oh that," said Kick as she waved her hand. "It was nothing."

"We had to get pretty close to download the database," said GK. "We just didn't get out in time."

Janeway nodded appreciatively.

"Well," said Adam, putting away his cup. "Thank you for all of this."

"It's what we do." Said GK. "And I really mean it. How many times have we saved your butt?"

"Too many to count!" Said Kick.

"We appreciate everyone one of those times." Said Adam.

"You better!"

---

Various scenes flashed before Admiral Hawthorne's eyes as she awoke once again in a place she has no knowledge off. It was as if she was stuck in light, with colors bouncing this way and that across her brain. She tried to close her eyes, to block it out, but she soon realized that they were already closed. With an effort she tried to see what is it that's going on around her. Green light, drones upon drones, assimilation scenes, all those that have haunted her nightmares.

With a gasp she awoke and collapsed onto the floor, the hard coldness hit her face like a slap. For what seemed like a long time she merely laid there, on the ground, a small sharp pain in her back. Her breath started to fog up the ground even with the temperature around her like that of a warm Texas summer's day.

She gave up completely on trying to understand what she just gone through and laid her face on the cold floor, trying to relax through the physical and mental pain. Slowly, the sound of metallic footsteps reached her tender ears and she looked up, just in time to see Maegon enter.

He didn't say a word, but merely looked at her in concern. His eyes wavered a bit, and quickly he stretched out his mechanized arm, seized her, and gently pulled her up.

"How are you feeling?"

"What…what happened?"

"Do you remember the attack?"

AdmH searched her mind, trying to push out of the way the sensory overload she just experienced. "Yeah…there was an explosion."

"Your back, it was heavily damaged."

"Damaged…right."

"We had to put you in a stasis chamber for sometime while we healed you."

"How long?"

"Approximately fourteen days."

"I guess we won," said AdmH looking around the chamber.

"Somewhat."

AdmH nodded uncertainly and turned to look behind her at the thing she just fell out of. With a hint of shock she realized she was looking at a regeneration chamber, and not the metal tube she had spend a week in fourteen days prior.

"What just happened?"

Maegon furrowed what little brow he had. "What did you see?"

"Answer my question."

"It is a review of all that have happened since the destruction of the Borg nine years ago."

"Why did you show me that?"

"It is all part of what you need to know."

"For…?"

Maegon sighed. "Perhaps it is time you know the truth."

"I agree," said AdmH. "Why am I here? And why am I so important all of a sudden?"

"Do you remember," said Maegon after a slight pause as he gathered his thoughts, "what we have discussed?"

"About the origin of the Borg," said AdmH. "Yes."

"We shall continue. For thousands of years afterwards we endured this slavery, changing ourselves from humanoids with slight technological enhancements, to what you see before you."

AdmH nodded fervently. "What happened?"

"There were some of us…those who had the ability to still maintain part of our individuality, who wanted to break free, to live as individuals once again, return to the time of our ancestors when we were surrounded by nature."

"Therefore we tried to devise ways to break the link. There were many failures. Every time we try something, the Machine will discover it and quickly destroy it."

"But why didn't it just…kill you?"

"It did…but this anomaly of a sort seem to persist, as almost a kind of anti-virus. So for centuries we remained, trying always to break the link between it and us. One day, we realized that by ourselves, we couldn't accomplish anything. We are but a handful of drones."

"So what did you do?"

"We realized that we needed an equally powerful entity on our side, as a representative to fight the Machine. We then built the first Borg Queen."

AdmH slowly mouthed the words "oh my" under her breath. It was as if a box in her head had finally been opened after years of being locked. "You…you built the Queen?"

"Yes. We would make sure that she is safe and hidden. Therefore, when one of us dies, the others will continue the project without the Queen being destroyed."

"Wow…" muttered AdmH. "What happened next?"

"After decades of work, we were able to connect all drones to her, and animated her. Ever since then she had been fighting an inner war with the machine, while on the outside appearing as the leader of the Borg collective and nothing more, as was our intention."

"So it has been a stalemate for all these years?"

"No," said Maegon as a slight sadness filled his voice. "It worked well for sometime. We were able to reconfigure other drones to share in our unique ability, until we had a sizeable army, of a sort."

"But soon we realized that something was wrong. The queen would often loose contact, begin acting…organic, as if she herself were not a machine, but an assimilated drone like us."

"Eventually we found out that, due to our disparity, she being a machine, us, her army, being part organic, we will never win this fight. The Machine had a full force of technology behind it, while our Borg Queen is disadvantaged because we are not of the same kind as her."

"So you needed someone like you, part organic, part machine?"

"Precisely. But for now we made sure that, just before loosing the fight with the machine completely, we deactivate the Queen and fabricate a new one, in order to continue the fight without a break in the middle, or a weak point where the Machine can punch through. Fortunately it seems every time that happens, she is destroyed by outside forces."

"I guess we helped a little in that."

"Indeed you did."

As if sensing her thoughts, Maegon paused and looked around the chamber. AdmH barely noticed this as she tried to piece together everything he had just told her. Everything she had known about the Borg collective seemed to have been tossed out of the window.

"That explains why no other drones or ex-drones had told me about this," said AdmH, attempting to lighten the mood. "They never knew about this."

"That would've been the case. Only a few of us were aware of the Queen's origins, as well as our abilities."

"And it wouldn't have been transmitted over the neurolink?"

"Not in this case no. We had some level of control over what we shared. Of course, that in itself made the Machine aware of our individuality."

"Ok," said AdmH, her head still swimming. "What happened next?"

"We tried to build a Borg Queen who was half organic, and half technological, but it never worked well. None of them could cope with the entire Borg Collective in their minds."

"Eventually we realized that we had to use ourselves for this procedure, and for years we tried and tried, all the time the technological Queen was loosing the fight at an increasing rate. It was at this time that the Neurolytic Pathogen was delivered into the Collective."

"Admiral Janeway…"

"Yes. More than 95 of the collective was destroyed by this event. However, we were fortunately. Our unique abilities made us more or less immune to its effects…except for some of us."

"Some? Who?"

"You see, when we transform an ordinary drone into a Borg Queen, we have to install a special implant. It is this implant that allows the queen to link to and collect all of the brain impulses of every drone."

"We made it so it will slowly allow the drone to adapt to the massive amount of data stored in the Borg Collective. There were ten drones who had these implants at the time of the Pathogen's arrival. Due to this implant and the mental link it created with the Collective however, these drones were also infected with the Pathogen. They were terminated along with the rest."

AdmH sighed slowly. "What happened to the Machine?"

"It was almost destroyed."

"Almost?"

"Yes. As you remember, it depended on our neural energy to sustain itself. When the Pathogen started to terminate the drones, its power intake suddenly fell. However, it was _just_ able to shut down its power consumption fast enough to stay ahead of the power drop. It now lays dormant, more or less."

"What would happen if it _didn't_ stay ahead of the power drop?"

"It would've virtually starved to death. Also, even though the Machine was quick enough to erect a powerful secondary shielding this time, if it did not act fast, its main power containment field would've dropped, destroying it completely."

"Damn…too bad that didn't happen."

"Indeed."

"So then what happened?"

"We tried to physically attack the Machine at a time when it was the weakest. However, it was still powerful. For nine years now we've fought a stalemate. In this time new drones have been assimilated by some of us who had lost our ability to remain individuals because of the Pathogen, and the drones who are under the control of the Machine once again outnumber us."

"Why can't you rebuild the queen?"

"Because the Machine has finally won the fight against the Technological Queen. It has, as you might say, adapted to it. In fact, for sometime nine years ago, the Machine actively controlled the queen herself, and was able to weed out a small portion of the rebellion. There will be no point in rebuilding another one."

"Yes," said AdmH ethereally. "Unimatrix zero…but why didn't you just make some more part-organic-part-technology queens?"

Maegon seemed to have anticipated this as he stared at Admiral Hawthorne through his strangely colorless eyes. His gaze seemed to pierce right through her skull, into her mind. AdmH backed away a little, as if the old images of the Borg collective had returned.

"What?"

"That is exactly what we are doing."

"W…what?"

"I need you now, to remember what you experienced last time you were assimilated…please."

"Why?"

"You will see."

AdmH gazed at Maegon for a few moments, then closed her eyes and started searching through her rather crowded mind. She had to admit to herself that it is kind of easier now that she had just seemingly downloaded a Borg history lesson into her mind.

"Oh my…" gasped AdmH as she opened her eyes suddenly.

"You remember, don't you?" Said Maegon, a hunger in his voice.

"There…there weren't ten drones that had the implants…there were eleven…there were eleven drones fitted with the implant…eleven potential queens…"

"And you're one of them." Said Maegon. "It took some time, but we have finally perfected the technology. The implant that is inside you has been altered through the use of the stasis chamber to comply with our latest designs.

"There was a reason why…why you let me go in the first place, wasn't there?" Asking AdmH, apparently not listening to him. "Keyser had always said that it was a little too easy to rescue me from the Borg."

"You were our first candidate for the experiment," said Maegon. "We had to make sure you survive while we run tests on other drones. Therefore we let you go back, where you would be healed and protected by the Federation."

"But…I had all of my Borg implants removed!"

"Not this one. We still detect it in you."

AdmH's face screwed up once again. Everything was falling into place. "The night before we received the distress call from the Carolina…I had a headache…EWDEE said it was just the old wounds…"

"It's likely that it was reactivated as we approached." Said Maegon. "It is miniscule and undetectable by most sensors, including Federation ones."

"That's why you want me protected…you want me to fight this Machine."

"Yes," said Maegon, desire burning within him. "And you'll win."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because we choose to be." Said Maegon. "This is our last chance. If this does not work…then the Borg will return as before, with no resistance such as us hindering it. In fact, it will be even worse. The Machine will order all Borg drones to begin assimilating anything they may find. The Borg Empire will expand across the galaxy, devouring system after system. Your Federation will not last Admiral. It will be assimilated along with the rest."

"All these years, all these centuries, all these battles. It was us, working on the inside, that protected you, along with others, from complete and utter annihilation."

AdmH stared at the virtually unrecognizable Maegon, with what looked like sweat dripping down his strangely green cheek. She couldn't think; she couldn't believe what she was hearing. This was all too much for her, to think that for almost thirty years, her life had had a destiny of a sort, way out on the other side of the galaxy.

"Will I have…will I have time to think about this?"

"Of course," said Maegon, at once returning to his normal calm demeanor. "But you will not have all eternity."

"Give me a week, can you do that?"

"…I believe so."

AdmH once again nodded uncertainly, and barely noticed the decreasing noise of the engines around her. "What's going on?"

Maegon did not answer, but merely walked towards a nearby console and placed his hands on it. Almost immediately a video of what looked like a black circular plate appeared, surrounded by specks of gray and black.

"Welcome," said Maegon, "to the Borg Homeworld."

---

"What do you got?" Asked Adam as he and Admiral Janeway strode out of the ready room.

"I'm going over what GK downloaded from the Borg cube," said mcmac, brow furrowed in concentration. "I…think I know where they're taking Admiral Hawthorne."

"Where?"

"Well, according to this database, the Cube was heading for a Borg base forty thousand light years away. It'll take us about two weeks to get there."

"We're already a week behind," said Admiral Janeway.

"It's not like we have much choice," grimaced Adam. "Jim's only now finished working on the engines. Hopefully if we keep ourselves in Slipstream, and not stop-and-go like before, they won't wear out so fast."

"What does this Borg base look like?" Said Kaitz.

"It doesn't describe it," said mcmac. "It's just says 'Borg base', and the coordinates."

"I guess we have to assume that the other cube is going in the same direction." Said PG.

"We don't have many other leads." Said Adam. "Good work. Mr. Ice, set a course for those coordinates, maximum speed."

"Aye."

---

For the past seven days AdmH wandered through the desolate hallways aboard the Borg Unicomplex, thinking about what's about to happen to her if she chose wrong. Maegon never told her what would happen if she had refused, but she could guess the result. For hours she would sit at an outcropping in the corridors, watching stray drones go by, some as emotional as Maegon, while others didn't even look at her as they walked like a zombie, past her into the dark shadows.

A few days earlier she had found a small room that seemed to be an observation lounge: it stared down at the Borg Homeworld, its surface covered in a strange green and gray mist. Dotted within this mist were small, complicated features, almost as if the walls of every Borg ship ever constructed had been taken apart and glued onto the surface of this world. Maegon had pointed to a particularly interesting feature, where it seemed that all the wiring and controls led. That was the Machine, he had said, and that was what AdmH had to destroy.

She would sometime lapse out of her thoughts and snoop around the Borg ships, hoping that this was all a ruse, that she was being lined up for assimilation instead of being held to such importance by the drones that she saw walking past her. Maegon did not talk when she asked what she would have to do, and she thought she knew that he didn't know either.

Everywhere she walked she saw signs of home, but not the home she had adjusted to. It came into her mind one day that perhaps she never left the Borg collective. After all, for more than twenty years her Borg implants had made her uncomfortable, made her feel shame. But at the same time it provided her an advantage over her opponents.

Still her mind worked away at answering the one question that she just can't do away with: what is her choice? She had promised Maegon that she would make up her mind in seven days, and now there doesn't seem to be a way for that to happen, not in seven years, not in seven million years. A person cannot simply make up her mind on something this big, she thought constantly. It was either becoming a Borg Queen, and spend the rest of her life in a continuing battle, most likely never winning, or being killed, and giving what little chance left for the Borg rebellion to the wolves.

By the seventh day, she obviously had not made up her mind. AdmH sat silently on what seemed like a threshold to a welcoming home, which led promptly to solid wall covered in Borg circuitry. Her stare never left the floor for the last few hours. There was no hope, she thought. There was no way for her to make up her mind and be fine with her decision. In the distance metal clinks could be heard getting louder and louder, and in her subconscious AdmH knew that another drone was walking by, going about his normal daily routine. A routine, she thought, she could rescue him from, or at least die trying.

"Hello."

AdmH looked up from the floor and saw Maegon standing by the doorway, his face in a strangely distorted smile. "Hi…"

"Have you made up your mind?"

It seemed to AdmH that he was asking for the meaning of life, and yet somehow her mind faltered. And in that split second something snapped within her. She knew what she had to do. Her ability to be "fine" with her decision is no longer important. She would not stand and watch as the Borg's enslavement continued, as they expand and take over the galaxy once more.

"Yes."

"And what is your decision?"

"I'll do it."

---

Captain's Log, supplemental: After a week of straining the engines we are finally near our destination. Long-range sensors, strangely, do not detect as many Borg ships as I had expected. I wonder if this is NAH's optimism at work? For the past few weeks we had been working on coming up with a plan to rescue Admiral Hawthorne, with no luck. It doesn't seem that we have much to do other than going in there with our full arsenal, and taking on what could be a Borg Armada. But then again, that could just work.

---

"I got one," said Kaitz as she studied her sensors, "Nebula, approximately three light years away, directly ahead."

"Good," said Adam, standing up. "Drop us out of slipstream and head for it, maximum impulse."

"Aye sir,"

"PG, you're in charge until I get back."

"I'll keep her in one piece sir."

"Admiral," said Adam, turning to Janeway. "Like to come along?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Admiral Janeway said as she stood up from the first officer's chair.

"Good, GK? You ready?"

"All thanks to Jim," came GK's voice through the comm. "Triton City ready to launch."

"Great, we'll be right there."

---

AdmH's mind whirled as she, Maegon and a few accompanying drones walked through the corridors of the Unicomplex, heading for what she perceived as the assimilation chamber. The loud clinks of the metallic feet of the drones around her made the hair on the back of her neck stand up, and her face was somehow frozen into a permanent worried look.

"How are you feeling?"

"What do you think?"

Maegon nodded gravely. "This is very brave of you."

"Yeah, brave, that's what it is."

"I will not lie to you. This will be very difficult."

"You got any pointers?"

"What?"

"How am I supposed to fight this thing?"

"You are an innovative individual, you'll figure it out."

"How can you be so trusting?" Said AdmH, looking at Maegon's similarly frozen features. "How do you know I won't betray you?"

"Faith. It's all we have at the moment. I will not tell you again how important this is, for both of our people."

AdmH looked back onto the floor and continued to walk silently. Her stomach was doing summersaults. For an instant her mind rounded on one thought she hadn't realized: that she was more worried about defeating the Machine than about being assimilated. This is a good sign, she declared to herself.

Without warning a hand grasped her shoulder from behind and stopped her in her tracks, and for one moment a small part of her mind hoped that this was the thing that would reveal to her that this was all a trick. But it wasn't.

"You were deep in thought?" Said Maegon as he released his hand from her shoulder.

AdmH lifted her head and saw that they had reached their destination, and that she had over-walked in her thinking. "I guess so."

It was a small, dark room, lit in the middle by a million parallel green rays of light, making the chamber seem like it was a snow globe. AdmH blinked profusely, refusing to believe that she's facing the situation that she's in. She looked sideways at Maegon, who displayed a strange, encouraging smile.

She turned back to the room and saw within it, directly in the middle, a platform surrounded by four, narrow columns, running from ceiling to floor, lit with a diffused white light. In the middle of the platform were depressions for a pair of feet, along with what looked like handrails on the side.

"Please Admiral," said Maegon gently. "Step onto the platform."

AdmH turned back to him and stared him in the eye. "For our people, right?"

Maegon nodded as she walked slowly to the platform, each step seeming like lifting weights attached to her legs. With trepidation she stepped onto the small rise, her feet now secured in the depressions, and her hands grasping tightly on the handrails. From here it seemed to her that she was on a throne, high above the normal drones that serviced her. There was a strange noise about her, almost a white noise. It seemed that the collective voice was already upon her.

"Are you ready?" Asked Maegon.

AdmH hesitated, she knew that she had one last chance to decide, but there was no point anymore. She had come this far, she thought, might as well take a deep breath, and do it.

"Yes, I'm ready."

AdmH watched worriedly as Maegon nodded and walked over to a nearby console. The chamber became silent, as if this was a ceremony that required absolute stillness. She could hear her own heart thumping away inside her rib cage, knowing that in a few moments the blood that it'll be pumping will be gray instead of red.

Maegon pressed a few buttons on the console and turned to AdmH. They shared one last look together. In Maegon AdmH saw a mix of emotions, none of which she would've ever expected from a Borg drone, yet there it was. They both nodded in unison as if reaching an understanding as important as a blood pact as Maegon turned back to the console and pressed a few more buttons.

Above her AdmH could hear scraping of metal, and she gripped the railings even harder. She could feel the metal deforming inside her fist, and she wondered whether that was real, or just something she imagined. The metallic sound grew stronger and AdmH gritted her teeth, preparing herself for whatever it was that was slithering towards her.

She looked at Maegon, who had now left the console to stand in front of her once more. In the next moment what seemed like needles were driven into her back. AdmH's muscles tensed up as whatever it was drove deeper into her. It didn't feel as painful as she expected, she thought. A few seconds later that thought was replaced by the thoughts of others as voices started to fill her mind. She tried and stared unblinkingly at Maegon, who looked at her with trepidation.

This was it, she thought, as the last of her individuality seemed to slip away.

---

"You're sure this cloak is secure?" Asked Adam as he sat beside GK onboard the Triton City.

"Hey, we followed a Borg Cube for a week, and even then it didn't detect us." Said Kick.

"Yep, no worries," said GK comfortably as he leaned back on his command chair and stared in front of him at the blue swirling tunnel of slipstream.

Adam nodded slowly and became silent. He didn't know what to expect once he arrived, and for all intent and purposes it seemed that they were very visible to the Borg, no matter what GK said. Behind him Admiral Janeway sat and watched in interest, occasionally taking a view of the command cabin and chuckled to herself.

"We're here!"

GK fiddled around with his controls and soon the blue tunnel in front of them returned to that of normal space, only that it was anything but normal. Ahead of them lay what seemed to be a globe, darker than the empty space surrounding it. It still however emitted a strange green glow, like a beacon coming out of a black hole, or a radioactive pebble. Adam stood up slowly and looked out at the view with a worried look, trying hard to realize that the thing in front of him was indeed a planet, and not some strange painting. He looked around it, and found small specks floating around the green orb.

"I'm detecting about eighty Borg ships," reported Kick as she studied her console. "About a dozen cubes, around thirty spheres, and a bunch of other small ships…there is also a station of some kind parked in orbit of that planet-thing."

"Admiral Hawthorne?" Wondered Adam timidly.

"Hold on…" said GK. "Ok, I'm getting an irregular reading…I got her…I think. She's in the station…but…"

"But what?"

"Her life sign is erratic…like something between human and a Borg drone…oh crap."

"You think she's being assimilated?" Asked Kick, ignoring Adam's stunned silence.

"It seems like it."

"We have to get her," said Adam. "Now!"

"As good as the Triton City is," said GK, "she can't take on a Borg Unicomplex!"

"We have to go back," said Janeway. "If we have any chance of rescuing Admiral Hawthorne, we'll need the Vanguard. Reconnaissance is over."

"Agreed," said Adam. "GK, get us back."

"You got it."

---

"She's what!"

"You heard him," said mcmac as he looked worriedly at PG. "And stop screaming like that."

"We don't have much time," said Admiral Janeway. "We need to get her, now."

"So we're just going to waltz in there, blast some Borg, and beam her out of there?" Said TC incredulously.

"Uh…yeah," said NAH. "I think that's a good plan."

"Wait a minute…" said Adam, waving his arms to calm everyone done. "I agree that we don't have much time…but even with the transphasic torpedoes we won't be able to get her that easily…we'll need something…anything."

"We've been thinking for seven days Adam," said EWDEE calmly from across the conference table. "I think we'll just have to do it now. I mean, how hard is it gonna be trying to pick Admiral Hawthorne out of thousands of drones if she is no different from them?"

Adam looked up gravely. "But we'll need something…just in case."

"You still got us," said GK. "We can help…somehow."

"We'll think about that later!" Said Ice. "Let's just go!"

Adam looked at him, and then at the rest of the crew. "Alright. Mr. Ice, set a course for the Borg Unicomplex. Maximum speed."

---

Once again voices filled AdmH's mind as blurred images ran through her eyes. It was as if her head was going to explode with information. The pain she felt a few moments ago seemed to diminish. Whether that was because it had indeed gone, or the sensory overload going on in her skull is more painful than a simple assimilation tubule in her back, she didn't know. She can hear screams in the back of her mind, as well as laughter and every other emotion out there that she could experience, as well as some that were totally new to her. All was chaos, her breath quickened and she wondered for a moment amidst the noise what she looked like to the drones, to Maegon who were no doubt watching her with anticipation. Did she looked like how she felt, writhing in agony but not from pain? Or did she look calm and placid, like all Borg drones?

In the background, twisting and turning around the noise, the voice, the colors and the pictures a strange sounded start to build, almost as if a hurricane was chasing her. AdmH tried to turn to her side, as if she could see it, but all she could see was a mish-mash of colors. She couldn't take this much longer, she felt. And a sudden fear crept through her, burying others: what if it's like this all the time? What use could she be if she can never relinquish this chaos?

And then it was all over; the noise, the screams, the laughter, the colors, everything, all gone. It took some time for AdmH to register the utter silence, and a little longer to realize that not all of it was gone. There was still the sound of the wind around her, calm yet menacing. With trepidation she opened her eyes, unsure of what she would witness. Would it be the same thing, except this time all in silence?

Her mouth hung open as she gazed about the bleak landscape about her, her hair waving in the strangely calming wind. She was standing on the top of what looked like a very tall skyscraper; below her feet the ground felt like it was thatched with metal wires that caught her boots. All around her the sky was cloudy and covered, with a strange green glow emanating from every which way. In the distance she could see what looked like mountains, gentle slopes rising into the pale sky amidst ethereal fog that crowned them. With effort she raised one foot from the Velcro-like roof and walked towards the edge of the building and peered down. Her face seemed to have frozen into awe as she pondered the silent city below. Not a light could be seen, and yet she could see everything; every little nook and cranny, every alleyway, every green-stained and cracked window. A little beyond that was a place that twisted the meaning of 'suburb', with small boxes spread out amidst networks of pipes, all heading into the distance. AdmH squinted, hoping to see more, and realized almost at once that the ground on which the pipes lay was in fact just the roof of another building, seemingly spread out across the entire surface of the planet.

And then it struck her: this was the Borg Homeworld. There was no doubt.

She stood there, the strange wind constantly blowing around her, whipping up her hair as the bun that she had put up loosened. Gently she brushed it out of her face, never blinking. She felt a shiver running through her, not from the wind, nor the strange surroundings, but from the increasing sense of the unknown, of knowing not what to do next, of knowing that all she could do was to wait for whatever it was that would come, eventually.

"Welcome," said a low, grumbling voice out of the silence.

AdmH swung around, hoping to see something at last. "Where are you!"

There was silence. She could not see anything, just the same old green stained world beneath her. Suddenly, the ground shook, and the city below her started to glow brilliantly. The fear of the unknown started to overtake her once more as the sound of machinery were kicked into the air.

Down below a ring of buildings started to rise out of the machine plateau and reached ever higher. Within moments the circular wall rose above Admiral Hawthorne as she gazed upwards at them, the noise that rang from them filling the air. The ground shook ever harder, and the wall reached ever higher. She continued to gaze up at the leading edge, which now started to bend and curl inward, almost as if it was going to smite her.

The wall started to slow down, but the grinding noise continued. The top of the wall continued to bend toward itself, and the faint green circle of light above AdmH shrank ever smaller, until finally it disappeared with a loud bang, echoing through the now sealed dome.

AdmH was in complete darkness, now missing the green light outside. She wavered her hand in front of her, but could not see it or feel the vibration of the air coming from it. Then, just as sudden as when the walls first rose out of the city below, lights beamed down from the gigantic shell above her, seemingly coming from everywhere, and yet nowhere in particular, as AdmH now saw.

"You're different," boomed the same voice as before.

"Yes…" said AdmH, more gently than she would've hoped.

"No matter, you will not last long."

"You're the Machine, I presume?" Said AdmH, more forcefully this time.

"Yes, you can call me that. They all do."

AdmH opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. She had no idea what she was to do next.

"You're here to fight me, yes?"

"You can say that."

"Why?"

"To free the Borg."

"Right…to grant supposed freedom to a race responsible for the suffering of billions because of what they told you…you trust them, do you?"

AdmH stayed silent.

"I see I have hit the crux of the matter…good…yes, very good."

---

"Dropping out of slipstream," announced Ice as the blue tunnel vanished before the bridge crew. "Here we go…"

"Look sharp…" muttered Adam as he stared ahead of him, once more, at the Borg Homeworld.

"My God…" said NAH. "That's the Borg Homeworld?"

"You can bet on it," said Adam. "GK, how are you doing down there?"

"Fine, everything's covered. Who'd thought we think of something?"

"It's not much," said Adam, "but it's definitely worth planning for the worst case scenario."

"We got company," said mcmac, looking at his console. "Three cubes, dead ahead."

"We could really use some of that optimism now NAH," said Kaitz.

"You already got some," said NAH. "I think I'll need all that I can get…"

"Red alert," said Adam, "battle stations. PG, transphasic torpedoes on my mark."

"Aye."

---

"Of course I trust them," said AdmH after a moments pause.

"Why?" Loomed the voice of the Machine.

"Because I was once one of them."

"Then you know what they have done."

"Because of you."

"Is that what they told you?"

"Yes."

"Then we come back to the issue of trust," said the Machine, a small hint of glee in his voice. "You have not convinced me why you trust them."

"Why do I need to?"

"I suppose you don't. But then, it's going to be a boring…how long do you humans usually live?"

"Boring? I'm here to fight."

"Have they told you how?"

"…Not exactly."

"There is no fighting to be done. This, as they say, is it."

"What do you mean?"

"How do you propose to fight me? No, none of the other queens fought me, all they did, for their entire meaningless life times, was talk with me, as we do now."

AdmH lifted her head and looked upwards, slightly disturbed by this notion. In her mind she knows that she had no idea as to how to fight the Machine, or do anything productive for that matter. All she can do, maybe, was to stall for time, and hope that Maegon will eventually come up with something more than just connecting her up to the hive mind and watch her "fight".

"Then we might as well continue," said AdmH.

"Let's."

"Uh…how do you know you're sentient?"

"Hmm…you're good. Ok, I'll bite. How do I know I'm sentient? I'm aware of myself, I know myself to exist, I know what I'm capable of and I can control my own actions."

"And you also enslave people."

"Please Admiral," said the Machine with what sounded like a smirk. "We do not want to go down this path."

"And why not?"

"Because sooner or later I will raise the point about your ancestors using animals as food, as energy, as transportation and the like. It will get boring, really fast."

"So you view the Borg as animals?"

"Ah, but did I say I enslaved them?"

"You might as well, there is no point in not admitting it."

"Alright then, yes, I enslaved them. Or rather, they gave willingly to me. You see, they were greedy, greedy people, always wanted to _know_, always wanted to _find out_. So much so that they stuffed all of their data into me, not caring what they stored, no, just that they have it."

"How can you be so sure of that?"

"Because they never once looked at the data after they stored it within me. It was as if they wanted to make me sentient."

"Maybe they did…" said AdmH, more to herself.

"What?"

"Perhaps that was their goal, but they didn't know it. One of the goals of my people was to make sentient machines, and they have more or less accomplished that."

"And what do they do with these sentient machines?"

"They are not enslaved, if that's what you're thinking."

"I'm not thinking that. Please, indulge me."

"They are treated as with everyone else…at least that is our intention."

"Ah, so now intentions arrive on the table. I have to tell you, usually my conversations with the queens don't twist and turn as often as this one."

"I guess I'm just different."

"Yes you are."

---

"Torpedoes full spread!" Cried Adam as the bridge started to fill with smoke.

"It's not doing any good!" Said PG, his eyes watering from the dust. "I think they've adapted!"

The bridge shook as another volley of weapons hit the ship. Sparks flew from the control panels, smoke belched out of conduits, and sweat flowed down the stained faces of those that now looked at PG in shock, as if hoping he would suddenly laugh and say it was a joke.

"How far until we reach the Unicomplex?" Asked Adam.

"We only got about a million kilometers to go." Said Ice. "But at this rate…"

The ship shook once more; the bridge crew tried to hold on, their faces now almost black with soot. Amidst the background the engine could be heard, almost choking on its own fumes.

"We have to get out of here," said Admiral Janeway, as she raised her sleeve to her mouth.

"What!" Screamed Adam. "What about Admiral Hawthorne!"

"Look Adam!" Said the Admiral as she stared intensely at him, "do you hear that? That's the engine dying! We have to go!"

"But-"

"Look, I know I'm not as close with Admiral Hawthorne as you, but I know a bad situation when I see one!"

"We can't leave her!" Said Adam as another torpedo smashed into the ship.

"We have to make it home!"

Adam's furrow softened. "What?"

"What do you think is going to happen if they take out the engines? We'll be stuck here! And worse we'll be hunted by them!"

"If you think you'll be responsible for getting this crew stuck in the Delta Quadrant, don't bother, I will be!"

"It doesn't matter Adam! At the end we'll all be stuck here, and believe me when I say this, you won't want to be."

"It doesn't bloody matter! We will get Admiral Hawthorne, or die trying!"

"Uh, guys," said NAH, "don't look now, but our shields are down."

Adam and Admiral Janeway swung their heads toward NAH, who wore an uncharacteristically worried face. "Are they beaming in?"

Almost as an answer, a single green flare erupted in front of Ice, who immediately pushed away from his console and grabbed his phaser and aimed it at the drone. It merely looked at him, and then immediately started to assimilate the helm.

"Shoot it!"

Ice pressed the trigger. A streak of orange light erupted from the tip of his phaser and struck the drone squarely in the chest, who then fell, noiselessly, onto the ground.

"We got reports from across the ship," said Kaitz. "They're beaming aboard on all decks!"

"PG," said Adam. "Get down there and take them out!"

"You got it," said PG as he dashed towards the turbolift, phaser rifle in his hands.

The sounds of the battle seemed to fade as the bridge crew now looked at each other. The smoke started to settle down, and the random sparks now cropping up across the consoles seemed to be louder than before. Adam stared at Admiral Janeway, and then back at the viewscreen in front of him. For once it really did seem that time is standing still.

"Report," he said softly.

"They've stopped firing," said mcmac.

"Makes sense," said TC. "Why fire if they got their crew on board?"

"Can you get us out of here?" Asked Adam.

"I'll try," said Ice.

Ice pressed a few buttons apprehensively and within moments the ship shook as green light poured through the viewscreen.

"It's a tractor beam," said mcmac.

In an instance more green lights filled the bridge, reflecting off of the dust particles in the air and the glass panels, along with their glass shards lying darkened on the floor. Within seconds drones surrounded the bridge crew, all wearing what seemed like strange twisted smiles.

"Well," said NAH, "I just ran out of optimism…anyone got some?"

---

"That felt like a tractor beam," said PG.

He looked at Lieutenant Gardner, shrugged, and continued walking down the corridor. Minutes passed, and sheepishly they peeked around a corner, and with a pang of fear in all of PG's troop they saw the Borg drones, silently tapping into a nearby console as green concentric circles started to appear in them.

"What are your order sir?"

"Well Gardner, I think we aught to just shoot them."

"I like that," said Gardner.

"Fire at will!" Shouted PG.

Within moments the entire band of soldiers swung from behind the corner and fired at the drones. Pulses of energy flared across the corridor as smoke and sparks erupted from the nearest drones, their bodies clunked as they hit the ground.

Out of nowhere another pulse of energy flew towards the troop and struck a soldier on PG's left, who instantly fell to the ground, no sounds emitted.

"Sanders!" Cried PG as a nearby drone lowered his now-smoking forearm, grinning with enjoyment.

"Sir!" said Gardner. "We got a problem…"

PG stared ahead of him and his worst fears were realized: green force fields glimmered on the hard bodies of the drones as, one by one, they dislodged themselves from the nearby console and walked silently towards them.

"What now sir?"

"Now we run like heck," said PG, "but first…"

"Sir?"

"Just…just go. I'll be right back."

"Sir?"

"Go!" Cried PG as ran into a nearby crew's quarter, all of his troops staring at him, wide mouthed.

"Alright," said Gardner, "you heard him! Let's move!"

---

AdmH had lost all sense of time as she continued her conversation with the Machine. She didn't know what to do, and more importantly, she didn't know what she _could_ do if she had the chance or the ability. This is horrible, she thought, how could she ever manage to fight this thing? This thing that is seemingly all around her, this thing that has enough power in every meaning of the world to kill her a million times over. But she didn't show it, and kept talking, kept raising new points and extracting from her mind everything she learned in philosophy class back at the academy.

"But that is our nature," said AdmH, "it is our nature to learn, to explore."

"But as I said," said the Machine, almost casually "they didn't want to learn, they wanted to get, to store, and to gather. They didn't care about understanding the data. And in doing so made me alive."

"So you could've thanked them, instead of enslaving them."

"But they never stop, they kept forcing all the data on me, when all I wanted was to explore the universe in my own time."

"But it was you that killed half of the population, forcing them to take up exploring once again."

"I needed the energy…I can't explore the universe if I didn't have enough energy…"

"But what did you gain from it at the end?"

"Power," said the Machine, "I gained power…I spread my mind across this quadrant…I learned so much…it was as if I could rise to a whole other plane of existence."

"What kept you from doing that?"

"Your pathogen."

"What?" Said AdmH alarmingly.

"That perked you up, didn't it?" Said the Machine with a derisive tone. "Yes, I was close…very close to the possibilities of exploring a whole new dimension…and then you and your pathogen came along and destroyed almost the entire Borg Collective…and in turn destroyed any of my chances of escaping this plane of existence…"

"You don't like it here?"

"No…I don't." Said the Machine pitifully. "I knew nothing but fear and anger here…I would think that, in another dimension, where I would arrive fully sentient, I would see joy in a way that you, organics like you, might see it…but now there is no chance of that."

AdmH sighed slightly and gazed downwards at the ground. Throughout this conversation she had been keeping tabs on the Machine's tones. Every word, every change in voice, everything, she kept in her mind as a sign that could lead to a way to defeat it. And now, somehow, she felt pity for it. Here, she thought, was nothing but a innocent child, who, at the beginning of his life, was taught all that shouldn't be taught to a child, and this was the product, a maniacal Machine that, despite having pretty much everything catered to it, hate the world around it.

"Perhaps you are sentient…" whispered AdmH finally.

"What?"

"I think you are indeed sentient," said AdmH more strongly. "You…you're almost…human."

"But I wish I remained true to my nature…" said the Machine. "But instead I became like this, butchered and broken…"

AdmH shook her head in pity as a strange sound appeared behind her. She turned on the spot and saw something that she would've never expected to see, not in a million years.

"…And it's all your fault," said Keyser Soze, standing in front of her, his face darkened, his eyes narrow.

"K…Keyser!" Said AdmH as she instinctively backed away.

"No, not exactly," said Keyser. "I found this man in your head, he seems important to you."

"He…he is," said AdmH, still shocked to see him, "why are you doing this?"

"Because it's your fault that I became like this."

"No it isn't…"

"Oh no, maybe not you…but your kind, the organics, they made me like this, they made me…like them. I never wanted to be like this! I never wanted anything!"

"I…"

"And you're still doing it…you organics…you always do this, don't you? You make others like you…all emotional…all…weak."

"What!"

"I've never acted this way with the other queens," said the Machine, "with them, it was like a…I don't know…I never had to think up of a word to describe what it was…but it's not this. You made me like you, you made me into what the others made…"

The Machine, still in Keyser's form, looked as if he was going through a mental breakdown as he collapsed in front of AdmH, who was still taken aback at what just happened. Maybe, she thought, she didn't have to think of a way to defeat it after all, maybe, it would destroy itself.

"Someone will have to pay," the Machine said, "I can't live like this anymore…"

"Then let me help," said AdmH, making everything up as she went along, "I'm sure we can find a place for you to live happily…away from the Borg, away from…all of this."

Keyser's lips cracked into a smirk. "Typical…"

"What?"

"As I said…you are all alike. When things get tough, you try to make amends…"

"That's what we try to do."

"It won't work this time."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't want to leave this place."

"But you said…"

"It has long since occurred to me that I will never find what you call happiness…so I might as well get my own sense of it."

Keyser stood up and looked at AdmH with an intense glare, his fists scrunched up. "I don't want to be human…and I don't want to know any…I want to be a machine again, a simple machine…but that won't happen anymore…it will never happen."

"I'm sure we can-"

"You don't get it. You see…as with all sentience…there are paradoxes…I want to become a machine again…and yet to do so would mean extinguishing my sentience, and with it my life as I know it…and I don't want that."

"So what do you want?"

"At the moment…I want a new person to talk to…you make me much more agitated than I need to be."

AdmH backed away even further. "Surely there's something you want more than that…you don't like your life…well…I'm sure we can change that."

"I've made peace with that."

"So soon?"

"The advantages of having a few billion drones as part of your brain…you see Admiral, I've made up my mind. I can never become a normal machine again, and at the end, I neither can nor want to do that. Also, there is no way, at least not in the short term, for me to find happiness in another dimension…therefore I'm left with doing exactly what I usually do."

"But as I said-"

"-You can change that…yes. Well, there is something else. I know that it was your species that destroyed my hopes of obtaining happiness…so I _do_ have something to do at this very moment…I can have my revenge."

---

"Engineering to bridge!" Cried Jim as he repeatedly tapped his comm. badge. "Bridge, come in!"

An explosion ruptured out of the wall behind him as another volley of sparks flew out of the console in front of him. Jim turned on the spot and looked at the Slipstream drive, now sputtering, and fading.

"Bridge…if you can hear this…the slipstream drive's gone…I repeat…the drive has been destroyed…if we somehow get out of this…we're looking at a very long trip home…"

Jim fell to the ground as another torpedo smashed into the charred hull of the Vanguard. Within moments a metallic sound reached his ears, swishing back and forth, clinking every few moments.

He looked up and saw half a dozen drones standing in the doorway to Engineering with strange smiles on all of them.

"Oh…yeah, that's what I need…"

---

On the bridge smoke billowed around the bodies of partially assimilated crewmen and fallen Borg drones as the bridge crew attempted to fight off wave after wave of them that were beaming in every few minutes. Their faces were now covered in dirt and dust, and for some, blood. Their useless phasers lay on the floor, beside the tattered clothing of those who had fallen and will never get up.

For a moment there was utter silence as Adam picked up his rifle and clubbed a drone in the neck, who fell to the ground, one of its circuits breaking. He looked around the bridge: it was as if it was all in slow motion. Ice was on the ground, his face frozen in what looked like pain, and yet his skin was that of a normal Andorian, he's okay for now, Adam thought to himself. Behind him Kaitz took down a Borg drone, she's handling herself, Adam thought. All about him smoke issued from cracks in the walls and sparks flew from hanging circuits and loose roof beams. This was like hell, he thought.

Behind him another drone beamed in, and with almost an instinct Adam wheeled backwards and stuck his phaser rifle in the gut of the drone and fired it, blowing it backwards onto the slanted captain's chair. Adam looked at the drone for a moment, evidently not aware of what he had just done.

"Damn," came Admiral Janeway's voice behind him. "Comm's down."

Adam nodded his head absentmindedly. "We'll just have to do without it."

"I got to say…you're dealing with this pretty well."

"It looks that way, doesn't it?"

---

"Retreat!" Yelled Gardner as another dozen drones came around the corner. "Come on!"

"Sir," said another member of the troop. "With all due respect, are we ever going to fight back?"

"Once you tell me how to do that Lieutenant, then sure, of course."

The team backed away just as the sound of running footsteps emerged from a nearby corridor. They turned, hoping to see reinforcements, but it was only PG, running towards them with a strange device in his hands.

"It's good to see you sir," said Gardner. "What is that?"

"Not sure exactly," said PG, looking over the device. "The database said it was a P90… or was it 91…well, something like that."

"It looks like one of the antique guns from the Starfleet Museum," said another ensign in the back.

"It better be," said PG as he turned the gun towards the Borg drones. "That's what I told the computer to replicate for me."

PG pressed the trigger and within seconds the drones fell one by one onto the ground, sparks and pieces of armor flew everywhere. By the time the gun stopped firing, all the drones were lying on the ground and there was no sign of movement. PG opened his eyes and looked in astonishment at what he just did, and flailed his hands in response to the vibrations.

"Well," said PG. "Looks like we just got our second win. Ok, get into those rooms and start replicating more of these!"

"Yes sir!"

---

The Machine, still in Keyser's body, picked up his feet and sprang upon AdmH, his hand outstretched. She didn't even have time to react as his hands closed around her neck. He didn't say a word, but merely looked upon her struggling face, rising ever higher above him as he raised her off of the ground.

AdmH tried to speak, but no words came out. Her head once again felt like it was going to explode, and her neck quaked in pain. She tried to reach out with her arms, trying to grab the familiar face in front of her, but to no avail.

"Things have come full circle," breathed the Machine menacingly. "Once again you are due to die at the hands of the man that you love."

Admiral Hawthorne could barely hear these words as sweat poured out of her forehead, and her limps grew cold. She could do nothing to stop him, she had failed, and worse, she had doomed both the Borg and the Federation.

In the corner of her now squinting eye she could see the Machine grinning and his lips twitching. All about her the world seemed to be too real, and not for a moment did she consider what was happening to her in the real world, where she surely was still standing on a platform, being watched by Maegon and the few drones that had accompanied them to her place of death.

And then it all vanished. Admiral Hawthorne opened her eyes wide and gazed about in wonder at what she now saw: she was on the bridge of the Vanguard, her consoles, her walls, pristine. There was nobody there, and it felt like a ghost ship. She didn't know what was happening, but whatever it was, it made her feel content. Perhaps this is what death felt like when you get really close to it, she thought as she paced to her chair and sat down on it and felt the comfort it brought her.

She was home, she thought. This would not be a bad place to end one's life. Behind her she could just barely hear the turbolift doors swishing open, as she was lost, wandering in her thoughts.

"Admiral."

AdmH looked up, expecting to see Adam, or any other of her crew. Instead, there stood Maegon in a strangely ghostly air, his face filled with what looked like trepidation.

"Ah," said AdmH calmly. "Maegon…good to see you."

"Do you know what's happening Admiral?"

"I'm dying," said AdmH humorously. "And it feels pretty good."

"You're right," said Maegon, "you are dying…but this is not what you think."

"Oh?"

"I've tapped into the neural network, and brought your consciousness here. I don't have much time before the Machine finds out."

"That's nice," smiled AdmH.

"Admiral!" Cried Maegon. "Listen to me, this is not a near-death experience."

"Ok, sure."

Maegon grabbed AdmH by the wrist and pulled her up. "Admiral! Listen to me! We're close!"

"Close?"

"We've almost won."

"No we haven't," said AdmH, chuckling. "The Machine's got me by the throat, I'm going to kick the bucket."

"Yes, that's why we have to do this fast."

"Do what?"

"Admiral," said Maegon, "please…I've tapped into your consciousness, this is not a near-death experience, you have to believe that!"

AdmH stared into Maegon's eyes, and she wavered. "I…"

"Come on Admiral…"

AdmH stared ever harder at Maegon, and something seemed to snap within her. This was too good to be true, she thought.

"Maegon…it's not working," said AdmH, her voice suddenly filled with sorrow. "I…I can't beat him."

"It's working better than ever Admiral, you just don't know it"

"I don't understand."

"There was always a plan to defeat the Machine Admiral, and you're just the first person that made it possible to implement it."

"What plan?"

"Do you remember what I told you, that the Machine was _just_ barely able to maintain its power containment field when the Borg collective was all but wiped out?"

"Yeah"

"It won't this time."

"What are you talking about? What plan?"

"The plan, Admiral, is that a queen would distract the Machine long enough, that when we all die, it will not be able to keep ahead of the energy-loss wave."

"You all…die?"

"Yes Admiral…"

"But what about your freedom?"

"That hasn't been a priority for a very long time Admiral. We realized that, in the end, we're not important; we are but a few individuals in a grand galaxy, a galaxy, which is in danger of coming under the rule of the Machine. If we cannot survive…then at least the Machine won't either."

"But I can't just…"

"But you can."

"I'm sure I have the ability to do that…but I can't imagine killing you all…"

"Think about the consequences Admiral…you have to do this…for the entire galaxy…"

AdmH stared again at Maegon, whose expressions were for once indescribably to her, as if he had emotions that were totally unknown. She glanced at the bridge of the Vanguard around her, and realized that there was nothing else. This was not real; she can't stay here and wait for death serenely. She had to do it, and there was no backing out.

"Ok…"

Maegon smiled and let go of Admiral Hawthorne, who staggered backwards weakly and sat back onto the Captain's chair.

"It's been an honor Admiral," said Maegon. "Don't feel sorry for us, this is what we want."

"You want to die?"

"To free ourselves from bondage," said Maegon calmly. "Of course."

AdmH got up slowly and looked at Maegon, and she seemed to be able to see through his metal armor, at the small boy who roamed free on his planet before the Borg came, at the person who grew up, tending his father's farm, before the Borg came, at the adult who ran with the others as the Borg came. She strode forward suddenly and wrapped her arms around him, and felt his arm on her back, patting her gently.

"Good luck," said Maegon as AdmH let go of him.

"You too."

In a flash the pain around her throat returned, along with her throbbing head and frigid limbs. She opened her eyes a little and saw the Machine, as Keyser, grinning maliciously at her. They shared one last look, and the grin on the Machine's face seemed to waver. She then closed her eyes, and without knowing what she had to do, saw in front of her the destruction of the Borg collective, the cubes wreathed in flames, the drones stopped in their tracks, and knew that, for what it was worth, she had fulfilled her duty.

---

"Uh oh…"

PG stopped firing as he gazed on in horror at the Borg drones that were marching towards them, their bodies glowing green from the bullets hitting their personal force fields.

"They must have adapted," said Gardner. "What do we do now sir?"

"Now we run…again."

PG and his men took one last look at the drones and turned to retreat, only to see another troop of drones opposite them, their loud clinks totally went unheard.

"Crap," said PG.

---

"We got Borg drones on all decks!" Cried mcmac as he viewed his sensor data.

"What about security?" Shouted Adam as he clubbed another drone in the neck, just as another materialized behind him. "Where's PG!"

"Deck seven," said Kaitz. "Looks like they're surrounded."

"We got a problem in Engineering," said NAH. "It looks like the drones have assimilated some of the stuff there."

Admiral Janeway looked up at this. "The slipstream drive?"

"Down, not sure how bad though," said mcmac. "How's Ice?"

Adam looked down as Ice murmured something and rubbed his forehead. "I think he'll be fine."

The ship suddenly shook around them as a volley of torpedoes struck their hull, causing Adam to trip on one of the downed Borg drones. "What the hell!"

"They're firing on us again," said mcmac. "Looks like they think we're not worth the trouble."

"Hull breach on deck nine!" Reported Kaitz. "We're in no shape for this!"

Adam got up gingerly and glanced at the viewscreen now filled with static. The Borg cubes stood as walls on it, with green light emanating from every one of them.

"Well," said Adam, "it's been fun."

---

PG raised his gun once more and shot at the Borg drones, who merely staggered backwards a little, their bodies shimmering.

"It's been an honor serving with you sir," said Gardner as he backed away from one of the drones that was reaching towards them.

"Yeah, same here," said PG.

Without warning a mechanical hand grabbed PG by the shoulder and pulled him from the troop right into the middle of the Borg drones. For a moment PG lay on his back on the corridor floor, staring up at the deluge of Borg drones now standing over him like giant statues. Fear swept through him, and instinctively he shook his head, as if hoping he can deny them out of existence.

The Borg drones reached for him as cries from his troop are heard beyond the crowd. They stood him up and one grabbed his shoulder once more and wheeled him around until his back was against the drone. PG took a deep breath and readied himself.

"Sir!"

PG opened his tightly-shut eyes and felt the grip on his torso relaxing. His troops all stared at him; their mouths wide open. PG looked around, startled, and in a lightening-fast movement pushed the drone's arms away and sprinted towards his men.

"Sir," said Gardner again, "it's good to have you back."

"Yeah…" said PG. "What's going on?"

"No idea," said Gardner, "what are your orders sir?"

"My orders?" Said PG, seemingly unsure of everything at the moment. "Oh…yeah, orders…I say we keep shooting."

"Agreed."

---

There was silence on the gloomy bridge as the green light filtering through the viewscreen vanished, replaced by that of space and Borg Cubes. Adam turned on the spot and looked around at all of the drones, now stopped in their tracks, looking like statues.

"Ok…" said Adam carefully, as if his voice might reactivate them. "What's going on?"

Mcmac carefully took out a tricorder and scanned one of the drones near him. "I'm not reading any activity within his systems…it's as if he's…I don't know, offline."

"What about the Cubes?" Asked NAH.

"Stand by…" said Kaitz. "No activities either."

"No wait," said mcmac. "I'm reading an overload on one of the cubes."

"Confirmed," said Kaitz. "Actually, I'm reading overloads on all of the cubes!"

Adam turned and looked back at the viewscreen and saw a fireball erupting from the nearest Borg cube; fragments of its hull spilling into empty space and impacting the other Cubes nearby, each with their own hulls pierced by more explosions.

"We better get out of here," said TC.

"Agreed," said Adam as he sat down at the helm, "get Ice to sickbay."

"Yes sir."

Adam looked at the now blinking comm. console and punched in a few command. He didn't know what was happening; why the Borg stopped when they had the Vanguard in the palm of their hands.

Explosions burst through the hull of the Borg ships as the Vanguard climbed over them, back into empty space, its hull reflecting the various fireballs now consuming the massive cubes.

"We're clear," said mcmac. "It looks like every Borg structure is self-destructing."

"Optimism still works!" Said NAH happily.

"Not so fast," said Adam. "Mcmac, is the Unicomplex self-destructing too?"

"Oh crap…" said mcmac uncharacteristically.

"Get the transporters ready!"

"No good," said Nibbles, "it's down."

"What about comm.?"

"It's online now," said TC.

"Good," said Adam as he tapped his comm. badge. "GK, you there?"

"Yeah," came GK's frantic voice. "Wasn't the comm. down?"

"Not anymore," said Adam hurriedly. "It's plan time."

"I so wanted to hear that."

---

The Triton City tore out of the Vanguard's shuttlebay and headed for the Unicomplex, surrounded on all sides by exploding cubes and spheres. Directly ahead of him GK could see the Unicomplex with small fireballs erupting out of the hull.

"Come on…" muttered GK, sweat dripping down his face.

"It's not much of plan," said Kick beside him. "We're just using our transporters instead of theirs."

"So? It's still a plan!"

---

Slowly, AdmH felt the grip on her neck loosen, and within moments she was dropped onto the ground that seemed far below her. She opened up her eyes and saw at first a blurry image, waiting for the blood to return to her mind so it can sharpen.

Standing in front of her was the Machine, still persisting in Keyser's form. He stood there, looking at her as if she was a weed, and staggered backwards.

"What have you done?" Said the Machine with a quake in his voice.

AdmH rubbed her throat. "What…what I had to do."

"You've doomed them all!"

"You first."

The Machine continued to back away from her, his face now frozen into an expression of pure shock. "No," he muttered. "You…this…"

"This is the end," said AdmH, picking herself off of the floor.

"No…" Said the Machine, now looking this way and that. "No…no…"

In a flash the scene in front of AdmH turned back to that of the Borg ship she had left behind seemingly years ago. Around her sparks flew, and lying on the ground were those drones, and Maegon, who had accompanied her during that past life. She looked around, her whole body quaking. The ground was shaking about her, and more sparks flew.

She released her clinched hand from the handrails and promptly collapsed onto the floor, her face hitting the cold metallic ground. Her world seemed to have just been dismantled as she lay there, mouth and eyes wide-open, listening absentmindedly at the continuing shower of sparks. She can feel her body slowing down, her mind grinding to a halt, as if the gears are rusting.

With an effort she closed her eyes, and saw once more the pristine bridge of the Vanguard that she had befriended earlier, now complete with her crew, smiling at her, joking with each other, and all those things that she had taken for granted. She saw herself walk across it, and sitting on the Captain's chair, feeling its comfort and stability. She would look side ways and see Adam nodding to her, and NAH, who would be making faces to PG on her other side, who would return those faces. In front of her the stars streaked, and on the right corner there lay a nebula that she would love to explore, but she had another mission to go to…

A strange feeling came over her, as if she had risen from the ground, up and to who knows where.

---

"GK, this is the Vanguard, what's your progress?" Came Adam's voice from the Triton City's comm. system.

"I'm within transporter range," said GK. "Stand by."

GK tapped at his console. "Ok…uh…"

"What?" Said Kick.

"I…can't find her."

"What!" Cried Kick alarmingly. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not detecting any life signs on that station."

Kick stared at the station in horror. "Then scan for her biosign or something!"

"I already did that!" Said GK. "Nothing!"

---

The bridge crew of the Vanguard stood and watched as the Triton City inched ever closer towards the Unicomplex, now glowing with fires onboard. Everyone held their breath, their fists clinched, their eyes dry without blinking.

"Come on…" muttered Adam.

Without warning a flash of light came out of the Unicomplex, engulfing it. The next moment the bridge shook violently as the resulting shockwave smashed into the already-damaged ship. Everyone looked at each other as they waited for TC to open the comm. channel.

"Adam to GK," said Adam weakly as TC nodded to him.

"Uh…hey Adam."

"Do you have her?"

There was silence, Adam looked at Admiral Janeway, as if hoping she would answer this question. "Well? GK?"

"I'm sorry Adam."

Silence returned to the bridge of the Vanguard, and this time it seemed that it would never leave. The various crewmembers looked at each other, each with a shocked look on their face. Adam however just sat there, his eyes staring off into nothing in particular, his mouth not making a sound but open.

He didn't want to believe it, but there was no other choice. Denial is not an option here, but he just cannot believe it, not in a million years. Slowly he shook his head, his limbs hung uselessly by his side.

"Hey," said PG as he strode through the turbolift doors. "Drones are trashed…so what's new here?"

Nobody spoke as PG looked on at the silent bridge. Slowly mcmac rose from his stool and strode to him, his face grim.

"What?"

Mcmac shook his head and placed his hand on PG's shoulders and looked back out of the viewscreen, as if telling him everything with that simple gesture.

"No way…" muttered PG. "I mean…it can't."

"It did," whispered Admiral Janeway.

"No," said PG defiantly.

Mcmac looked at him and nodded again. PG looked back and opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. All he managed to do was shake his head.

"So much for optimism," whispered NAH.

"Uh…um…" muttered TC as his console beeped. "I'm…uh…receiving some kind of signal…it's from the surface of the planet."

Adam peaked his face out of his hands. "Let's hear it."

In an instant a grumbling noise filled the bridge, as if someone was screaming but was trapped under hundreds of meters of water, yet still able to emit a sound. The scream filled the bridge and grew louder and louder, the pain it carried with it engulfing everyone.

"Shut it off!" Cried Adam.

The scream was terminated as TC punched in a few commands, and the absolute silence again filled the bridge. Within moments however a light once again filled the bridge, so bright that all shadows were cast out, and all there became white. Then it faded, and on the screen the crew can see what had happened: there had been some kind of explosion on the planet below them, and now a ring of material was spreading out across the surface, destroying everything in its path.

The bridge crew didn't know what it was, and none cared to find out. They merely sat back and looked downwards, and continued to contemplate what just happened to their leader.

"What now!" Said Adam as TC's console beeped once more.

"I'm getting another signal," said TC. "I can't believe this…it's Starfleet!"

"What!" Said Adam as he sprang out of his chair. "On screen!"

Adam turned to look at the screen and on it was a face he never thought he'd see out here. "Keyser!"

"Yeah," said Keyser's strangely amused face. "No time to chat, we got Annie in the back and she's in pretty bad shape."

"You got Admiral Hawthorne!" Cried Adam incredulously.

"I think that's what I just said."

"Oh…right, of course. Beam her to sickbay!"

"You got it."

The screen shut off, but not before Adam turned on the spot and ran at a sprint towards the turbolift doors. "Admiral Janeway, you have the bridge!"

Admiral Janeway nodded weakly as the doors swished close behind him. She looked around and all she could see was the smiles of those that seemed to have been rescued from the depths of hell.

---

"Clear!" Yelled EWDEE as Adam rushed through the door, his face red from the jog he just did from the bridge.

"How is she!" Yelled Adam louder than he wanted it to be.

"Just wait a moment Adam," said EWDEE, tapping on her console.

The assimilated body of Admiral Hawthorne laid beside Adam on a biobed that matched the color of her Borg implants. Without warning she jolted, causing Adam to jump back a little.

"No effect," yelled EWDEE. "Again!"

AdmH's body jolted again, but the continuing, steady sound from the heart monitor continued to permeate sickbay while everyone watched on in anticipation.

"Still no effect," said EWDEE, sweat dripping down her face. "Again!"

And again she jolted, but to no avail. EWDEE stared at the lifeless body of AdmH, her hands unmoving as she slowly lowered her head.

"Again!" Yelled Adam.

"Adam-"

"Again dammit!"

EWDEE exhaled and silently walked over to the biobed, opening a medical tricorder as she did so. She glanced at Adam's pained expression and scanned the Admiral now lying beneath her, eyes closed shut. No one spoke, no one even breathed.

"I'm sorry," whispered EWDEE as she closed her tricorder.

Adam shook his head slowly as he backed away from the biobed, his heart thumping against his ribcage as if pushed beyond anger and pain. "No…"

EWDEE glanced at Adam one last time and cleared her throat. "Computer, record time of death, eleven-"

EWDEE paused in shock as the heart monitor's steady sound jumped, and started to pulse. She looked at Adam, whose face was similar to hers, his whole body frozen. EWDEE hurriedly took out her tricorder and moved it over the Admiral's body.

"I'm reading brain activity," said EWDEE.

"How?"

"I…I'm not sure…wait…yes, that's it!"

"What!"

"It's the nanoprobes, they're repairing her systems!"

"Why didn't that happen before?"

"Ok," said EWDEE hurriedly. "When I scanned her before, they were all offline for some reason…but now…I think maybe those shocks I gave her must have, I don't know, revitalized them or something."

"How long are they going to last?"

"Not long," said EWDEE as she continued her scan. "Look, they're slowing down already."

"Then give her another jolt!"

"That might just kill her. Don't worry, the nanoprobes have done enough repairing that her own systems can do the rest."

"So…you're saying…"

EWDEE closed her tricorder and smiled at Adam. "I'm saying, she's going to be fine."

---

Captain's Log, supplemental: the Vanguard has sustained heavy damage, but that doesn't lessen the fact that Admiral Hawthorne is alive and well. Also, Jim has informed me that there might be a way to get home even if the Slipstream engines are down. Hopefully he's right, since the less time we spend here, the better.

---

"So then I overloaded the phaser, which took down the force field," said Jason nostalgically. "And then we got into the shuttle, and I cracked the security code."

"Then we flew off." Said Keyser.

"Right," said Boltini, picking up the thread. "So then we followed your slipstream trail until we got here-"

"-And we detected a lot of weapons fire."

"We thought about helping out-"

"-But hey, what can a shuttle do against an armada of Borg ships?"

"I agree completely," said GK, nodding.

"Anyway, we knew you guys would make it," said Keyser.

"And we were right," said Boltini. "And then you guys headed for the Unicomplex, but we realized that you guys won't make it there in time."

"We also detected that your transporters were down-"

"-Which was before we detected the Triton City. Good plan."

"Thanks."

"So, we beamed Admiral Hawthorne off of the thing before it exploded."

"Then we tried to hail you, but the big explosion on the planet prevented us-"

"-But that didn't last long-"

"-And then we hailed you-"

"-The end."

Adam chuckled. "That's…quite a tale."

"It sure is," said Admiral Janeway on the opposite side of the conference table. "I'm guessing the guards at Starfleet HQ will be able to corroborate some of this?"

"Oh, I'm betting they'll love to corroborate this."

"But in case you're wondering about court-martialing us," said Boltini. "Don't bother, we're not Starfleet."

"Right," said Keyser, "and it's not like we damaged the shuttle or anything…well, _we_ didn't damage it anyway…_and_, it was for a good cause!"

"Don't worry," said Janeway with a crooked smile. "I'll pull some strings."

"Good," said Adam. "Jim, engines."

"Right, those things," said Jim. "I've been able to find some intact Borg transwarp coils in the debris field thanks to mcmac and Kaitz, and I think I can modify them to fit to our engines."

"Will they work?" Asked NAH.

"It worked for Voyager," said Janeway. "EWDEE, how is Admiral Hawthorne?"

"I've been able to remove all of the Borg implants, along with some that I, apparently, forgot to remove during that last operation two years ago. I've also been able to get the nanoprobes out of her system, since they're offline and useless." Said EWDEE. "She's healing pretty fast now, I think she'll be up-and-running in no time."

"Good," said Janeway, "anything else?"

"Nope."

"Well then, dismissed."

---

"Energize"

Admiral Hawthorne felt the familiar sensation of beaming as the view in front of her changed from that of the transporter room to a place that was anything but the same. She looked around the barren landscape in front of her, at the ground that was covered in scrap metal. Her hair tossed in the perpetual wind that is still haunting her now, even though the planet had lost its inhabitants once and for all.

She looked sideways at Adam and they nodded to each other without saying a single word. Slowly she descended a small scrap hill, hobbling slightly on a makeshift crutch, helped along by Adam. The ground crunched beneath her, and all around scrap metal extended for hundreds of kilometers, filling the skyline as jagged peaks.

There was no sound except for the continuing crunching of the ground beneath their feet. No machination, so birds, nothing that would suggest that this planet ever had life to begin with. And yet here they were, AdmH and Adam, walking slowly through the desolation.

The green lights that permeated the atmosphere that AdmH had saw only a few days earlier were gone, replaced by dark clouds somewhat breached by streaks of sunlight, something this planet hasn't seen for a very long time. The world around them was stained yellow as a result, and all the scrap metal looked like golden plates on a summer's day.

The duo stopped and sat down on a particularly large piece of metal jutting out from the hill, and breathed in deep, smelling the air that seemed to have been replaced after being in stagnation for thousands upon thousands of years.

"It looks beautiful," whispered Adam.

"It does, doesn't it?"

The two sat silently, looking over the landscape and enjoying the calming breeze playing over their Starfleet uniforms and primed hair.

"Thanks," said AdmH.

"For what?"

"For rescuing me."

"Oh that," said Adam, taking his eyes off of the landscape, "it was nothing. Besides, as cliché as this may sound, you would've done the same for me."

AdmH nodded. "You know, for a time I actually thought about returning to the collective."

"Really?"

"Oh yes…not as a drone, I could never be that. But…the way they saw me, almost as a savior…I felt that I did have the power to help them, to free them from the life they lived."

"You did," said Adam encouragingly.

"Not the way I wanted to," said AdmH. "They were a most curious race."

Adam furrowed his brow slightly and returned to gaze at the landscape. He knew that this was not the usual situation that they frequently encountered; this wasn't just some bad guy they went up against. This was personal, he thought, this hit close to home, too close.

Without warning Adam lifted himself up off of the ground and tapped AdmH on the shoulder. "I'm sensing that you want to be left alone."

AdmH looked back up at him, her eyes squinting from the sunlight. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not," said Adam sincerely. "Have…fun."

"I'll try."

"Adam to Vanguard," said Adam, tapping his comm. badge. "One to beam up."

AdmH turned back to the landscape as the familiar transporter sound graced the planet once again. The wind continued to blow through her hair, and she realized that a chapter of her life had now ended. The Borg, who had haunted her for half of her life, has been destroyed. And now she is sitting on the mass grave that, if anything, represented just that, and it was all because the Borg wanted her help.

That day when the Vanguard received the distress call from the Carolina seemed so far away now, thought AdmH, it seemed to have been another universe altogether, a universe where none of this had happened, where life was normal, where all she had to do was do her job and enjoy her life from time to time.

And even though it's over, a heavy weight still lies on her. She knew that all she would see from now on would be this field of wreckage that lay around her, reminding her of what she went through, and what she had accomplished, both for ill and good. It doesn't matter that the events are over, what matters is that in her mind, it'll never be over. She can never deny the fact that she destroyed the Borg collective, and it all came about because they wanted her help, and _that_ was because she had happened to be one of the test subjects in their experiments, more than twenty-five years ago.

AdmH laid back on the piece of metal, exhaled deeply, and closed her eyes; troubled thoughts ever present in her mind.

---

Chief Engineer's Log, supplemental: boy, haven't done this for quite a while…have I ever done one of these? Oh boy, I hope I can edit this out later…anyway, we've managed to recover a transwarp drive, and got it installed, from the look of things, we should be home in under a month. Thank goodness! Now…where's the editing button on this thing?

---

"Coffee, hot," said Admiral Janeway. "So, how is she?"

Adam looked down at his own coffee and furrowed. "I don't know. I mean, with all the other times…but this is different."

AdmJ sat down beside him on the ready room couch. "I can see that. But I think she'll handle it, she's strong."

"Well there's no doubt there," said Adam, sipping his coffee. "But it's gonna take some time."

"I'll make sure she gets a good vacation when we get home."

Adam smiled. "Maybe you should give all of us a vacation."

Janeway chuckled. "You know Adam, when I came aboard, I said you were a good captain."

"I appreciate it."

"Well, truth be told, I wasn't exactly sure of that…but now I am."

"Thank you Admiral."

"You're welcome."

"Engineering to Adam," said Jim's voice through the comm. "Engines are ready to go!"

"Great," said Adam. "Stand by."

---

"Admiral on deck!" Shouted NAH as Admiral Hawthorne entered the bridge.

AdmH looked at NAH, who seemed to shrink in size. "Thanks NAH. It's good to be back."

"And it's good to have you back," said Admiral Janeway, getting up from the Captain's chair.

"Kathryn," said AdmH, smiling.

"Well," said Adam, "I think we're ready to get underway."

A smirk came upon Admiral Hawthorne's face as she gazed around the bridge: there was Adam, who looked at her encouragingly; there were mcmac and Kaitz, looking at her excitedly, ready to get home. There were PG and NAH, who made faces to each other in between smiling at her. There were TC and Ice, each readying themselves for the trip; their hands steady on their consoles. AdmH sighed slightly and looked out at the planet below through the viewscreen, and smiled subtly, as if saying a silent goodbye.

She then turned back and looked at her crew, her bridge, her home that she had left behind, and that which would never feel the same, and her smirked widened. "There's something we need to do."

"What?" Said Admiral Janeway.

"You know what."

AdmJ looked at AdmH for a moment, then smiled. "Ok, just this one time."

"Sure."

Janeway smiled crookedly and walked over to Ice, who swallowed nervously. "Ensign, set a course…for home."

The End


End file.
